Through His Eyes
by KatherineKent
Summary: What if Lois got a wish in Hex? As always Zatanna's wishes never go as expected. But maybe it will give Lois a new perspective and understanding of her favourite hero and best friend?
1. Wish

**Title:** Through His Eyes  
>A<strong>uthor:<strong> KatherineKent (Victoria)  
><strong>Pairing:<strong> Clois  
><strong>Rating:<strong> Suitable for all  
><strong>Spoilers: <strong>Hex  
><strong>Short summary:<strong> What if Lois had got a wish in Hex

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1: Wish<strong>

Lois moved around the Ace of Clubs, champagne glass in hand. The smile on her face was genuine ... mostly. Her happiness was complete ... sometimes.

That 'except' happened whenever she glanced over at her cousin. She felt a stab of pain in her heart and her smile would drop. Chloe was attempting to enjoy her birthday party but as the evening wore on Chloe's ability to act weakened and Lois saw the truth breaking through. She could tell there was something missing.

Lois had spoken to Chloe, to Oliver, to all the guests joining in the festivities and everyone mentioned the conspicuous absence of her new husband; even Chloe herself, though Lois would have expected her to avoid that subject. But as time ticked away Lois began to suspect that the 'thing' missing wasn't Jimmy. Chloe was desperately alone, surrounded by her friends, family and acquaintances, and even though she missed her husband greatly, the person missing from her birthday party, the one who would draw her out of this melancholy, was her _best_friend.

Chloe's best friend: Clark.

Who also happened to be Lois's best friend.

And he was absent from his best friend's birthday party.

_How can he abandon her like this? He knows what she's going through. He knows she's devastated by the shattering of her marriage. Where is he?_

She sipped on some champagne and glanced around the room.

_Smallville's not the type to ditch a friend in need. So what the heck has kept him away?_

Lois wasn't sure at what point she noticed the fishnet tights. Her eyes narrowed. If she was honest it was in disapproval. _Who dresses like that?_She turned back to Ollie and took another sip, laughing at some witty comment. But she didn't really pay attention, just flicked her eyes off towards Chloe again.

"So where's farm boy then?" she asked, digging for information.

"Oh, somewhere," came Ollie's vague reply. Lois whipped her gaze back to him, eyes wide. _What? For Smallville to be missing it must be a major crisis somewhere, but then why would nobody know what it was? What are they trying to avoid telling me?_

When Oliver immediately ended the conversation and moved off to talk to someone else Lois narrowed her eyes, suspicion growing.

_Unless there is no crisis, and he's just not here. Oh, you are so dead Smallville, when I get back from Mexico._

The fishnets stood and uncrossed revealing long, slender legs, bare from the top of the thighs down to the top of the knees ... apart from the fishnets, of course. Below the knees were black, shiny, high-heeled boots.

Lois frowned in disapproval. _I know this is a nightclub lady, but it's a classy place. And that belongs in a strip club. _Lois tried to turn away but morbid curiosity had her eyes following the lady around the room. She found herself detailing more of the outfit.

Black shorts, black waistcoat, white shirt and bow tie.

Lois let out a surprised laugh. _Not what I expected._

The long, wavy black tresses had Lois feeling a momentary jealousy. _Such a fabulous black shine._But then she finally registered the top hat.

_Ok, I get it. You're the entertainment._She turned to fully face the direction of the lady magician as she worked the room, finally replacing her distain with appreciation.

Suddenly Lois felt a vibration in her pocket. _Phone alarm. Damn, time to go._She looked up hoping to find Chloe so that she could say goodbye and zeroed in on her stood at the far side of the room chatting with Ollie.

She set off striding purposefully, only to be stopped by the fishnets.

_Whoah!_Lois stumbled backwards to avoid bumping into the tray of magical goodies being carried. "Zatanna!" she read out slowly, tilting her head to see the writing on the side of the tray. "Mistress of magic."

"You look like someone in need of a little magic in her life." The fishets spoke brightly.

"Pppft," Lois expelled a breath. "You could say that. Lady you have no idea the schedule I'm trying to juggle, the people I'm trying to cheer up, the ones I'm trying to avoid." _Clark Kent I am so going to kick your butt if I ever manage to catch you._

"Well then," came the performing voice. "How about a little wish and I'll magic away all your problems." Lois looked sideways at the dark haired lady.

"Sure, I'm game," she said a little warily but then brightened. "This is a birthday party after all." She nodded off to the side. "Although you might actually want to visit the birthday girl next, it's only fair." Lois craned her neck to look past Zatanna, wrinkling her brow a little when she noticed Chloe alone again. Ollie must have wandered off somewhere.

"And your wish would be?" Lois glanced back into the innocent eyes looking back at her.

"Oh, um. I wish Clark was here for Chloe." She looked away again. _I really wish I knew where Clark was; understood why the heck he couldn't be here for his best friend. _Looking back once more she saw a knowing smile on the lady's face and it made the hairs on the back her neck stand up. She stepped back a pace and blinked a few times trying to dispel the shiver waiting at the bottom of her spine, ready to travel all the way up.

Fishnets didn't speak again just continued to smile. Lois returned it half-heartedly as a way of saying goodbye and then she headed for Chloe. She found herself stumbling a little as she walked down a few steps to her cousin. _Too much bubbly, Lois. Not good when you're off to Mexico in just a few hours. You could have been so much more sensible, responsible. _

_What, you mean like Smallville?_she answered herself.

_Oh, shut up. That's one person I don't want to think about, for sooo many reasons._

She put on a happy face as she approached Chloe and snatched up one of the many, mini birthday cakes dotted around the room.

"One year closer to the sweet release of death," she said a cheerily as she could, mixing morbidity with light-heartedness. Chloe lent forwards and blew out the candle. "Sorry Chloe, there's been a factory workers revolt down in Mexico City and the Planet is flying me down 'El Primero Classo'." _Gosh that sounds good. _"Wheels up in 30." Looking up through her lashes she remembered the tiara on her head and plucked it out of her hair, placing it on Chloe's head. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do. Love you."

Lois headed for the elevator feeling the confusion from behind. Chloe didn't know whether to try and latch onto Lois's bright and bubbly attitude or continue to wallow in – probably justifiable – self-pity.

As the elevator doors closed behind her Lois put out her hand and rested against the side. _Gosh that bubbly has gone straight to my head. _She closed her eyes to try and stop the spinning feeling, but it just increased.

Colours and shapes blurred across her eyelids and she felt herself toppling. Thankfully there was a rail around the elevator and she grabbed on. The elevator jerked to a stop and a 'ding' announced the opening of the doors. Lois opened her eyes at the same moment and the dizziness lessened.

_Hmmm, must have been the movement of the elevator,_ she reasoned.

* * *

><p>Lois arrived at the airport less than an hour later and joined the queue to check-in.<p>

Changing into simple jeans and t-shirt had been awkward in the cab, but necessary. She spent an inordinate amount of time cursing herself for drinking too much champagne. The cab driver must have thought her crazy ... or drunk.

The thing was Lois was sure she'd only had one glass. So why was she constantly dizzy? Resting in the cab, once changed, hadn't helped. She'd lent her head back and closed her eyes, fingers pressed against her temple, but her head had continued to swim, just as before. This time she'd blamed it on the cab driver.

"Maybe I'm getting an inner-ear imbalance," she muttered to herself. She pulled out her phone and tapped her foot continuing to wait. She shuffled forwards a few steps and then the call was answered.

"What is it Lois?" came the voice she really didn't want to hear, but something compelled her to call him.

"Smallville, I'm so mad at you right now, but let's not get into that. Just letting you know I'm on my way to Mexico City. Worker's revolt. Back in a few days."

"Huh?"

"Oh, don't play dumb with me. Anyway, gotta go. Finally made it to the desk."

Lois flipped her phone closed and smiled at the perfect blonde check-in lady, handing over all her papers. After a back and forth between the two of them, with stamps and tear-off slips and who-knows what else, the attendant finally handed over Lois's seat allocation tickets.

Lois turned to stride off when the cheery lady called out. "Sorry miss. You'll need to check that bag."

"But this is my hand luggage," challenged Lois, menacingly. Unfortunately the sickly sweet attitude of the desk clerk was all an act and she was no pushover.

"I'm sorry. I'll weigh it but I'm pretty sure it's over the limit." Lois glared at her then placed her bag on the scales. The betraying number flashed up on the screen and Little Miss Perfect Blonde looked back up at Lois. "If you have anything in there you will want on the flight you can take it out now before I send it through."

"Fine," spat out Lois, then began rifling through for her notebook and pen. Stuffing them into her handbag she wandered off as the luggage slid behind the desk and headed its own way to the plane. Feeling the need for another rant she pulled out her phone again and flipped it open.

"Smallville. Remind me to write an article on ridiculous check-in procedures and rules when I get back."

"Lois, what did you mean earlier about being mad at me?"

"No time now, I'm at customs. Have to take off all my metal jewellery and figure out how to hide my hypothetical gun." She hung up and waited in line with a grimace on her face. _Why does he do this to me? I want to avoid him, yet I can't help but be drawn to him. I don't want to talk to him as I'm disappointed in his treatment of Chloe, yet I need to make him painfully aware of my annoyance._

She closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her temple. A blur of colour across her eyelids knocked her off balance again and she swayed dramatically. Strong arms caught her and she opened her eyes to see the security guard holding her up.

"Are you alright miss?" he asked in a genuine voice.

"Fine, thanks." She smiled as best she could and placed her handbag on the table. Giving another extra flirtatious smile in thanks once she was done she then twirled away.

"Oh, thank God," she groaned. "Coffee." Lois ran over to the airport cafe her eyes had just fixed on and pushed her way past as many people as she dared to get straight to the drinks.

Tossing her bag onto the table, after completing the transaction, she lowered herself down into a chair and took a sip. A contented sigh escaped her lips and she blinked lazily. Again the dizziness hit and she shook her head to dispel it.

After placing down her cappuccino she flipped open her phone for the third time. Before she could speak this time he jumped in.

"Is this because of Jimmy and Chloe?" he asked.

"Clark, let's not get into that tonight. I just needed to tell you that I think I had too much to drink at Chloe's party." She emphasised Chloe's party trying to make a point. "Either that or it was really cheap champagne, cause I'm feeling a little woozy. In fact I'm pretty sure that was it."

"Lois, are you alright." His tone immediately turned concerned and she nibbled her lip. _Lois Lane, remember you are mad at him._ Her heart softened. _Don't you dare_, she shouted at herself.

"Just ... Um ... I thought someone should know. In case, you know. Something happened to me on the plane and I um ..."

"Lois, are you drunk?"

"No!" she protested. "I'm positive I only had one glass." She closed her eyes and the blurring returned, but as she was sat down there was no risk to her balance. As she kept her eyes closed the colours and shapes began to sharpen. "It must be a bad batch, because I am having the strangest vision problem right now."

"Lois..."

"Whoa! Is that a bridge? God, I'm going insane here. My eyes are closed but I could swear I'm looking at this gigantic suspension bridge. And is that ..." she shook her head and blinked her eyes open. "Ok, more coffee needed, then I need to find my departure gate. Speak to you later Smallville."

Lois ended the call and took a gulp of her cappuccino not caring that it blistered her throat on the way down. _I hope he's stewing in his confusion at the moment,_ she thought cruelly. _Cause I sure am,_ she sighed.

* * *

><p>Lois called Clark twice after that. Once while searching for her departure gate and again while sat waiting. But he didn't answer. She left obscure messages on his answer phone. Her eyes closed she'd gone back to experiencing the coloured swirls and blurs; no discernable shapes.<p>

"I swear I am never having champagne again," she mumbled as she stood up.

"Pardon," asked the flight attendant.

"Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself," Lois explained as she handed over her tickets and was let onto the plane.

She struggled with her bag, forcing it into the overhead storage with great difficulty, her head still buzzing and swimming. She eventually collapsed into her seat and buckled herself in.

Pulling out her phone she dialled Clark again. This time he answered.

"Where have you been? I had to leave two completely rambling messages on your answer service. I'm on the plane now and the flight attendant is walking towards me frowning so I guess now is not the best time to talk. Bye."

Lois realised she'd never given Clark chance to say even one word that time. Closing her phone just as the lady made it to her seat she held it up and waved it to show that it was now off.

"Miss, we will be taxiing to the runway soon and you need to keep that turned off."

"I know, I'm sorry." Lois slid the phone into her pocket then reached up to the reading light above her and flicked it off. She lent backwards and her eyes closed immediately. She was finally able to relax.

In the relative darkness she began to notice it again. Blurry images, vague colours and lights. _Still going huh! Well hopefully it's just some little inner ear infection that will clear up in a day or so._Suddenly the dizzy feeling stopped. The blurs sharpened as before and Lois readied herself to see the imaginary bridge once more but instead the image cleared into a much more recognisable landmark.

The Daily Planet.

Lois frowned and her forehead crinkled. _Hmmm, maybe I'm already asleep. Dreaming of the Planet is sort of understandable._

The image faded and the coloured swirls retuned. An overwhelming dizzy sensation hit her and she moaned. Then the picture cleared once more and she found herself looking at a swaying wooden sign.

Kent Farm.

_Huh!_ She sat bolt upright and opened her eyes. _What was that?_

* * *

><p>So. Comments. <em>Please?<em>


	2. Mexico

Thanks for all the comments.

Which way round do you think Lois will figure it out ... will she realise she's seeing Clark first, or will she realise it's the Blur? Read on and see what you think. You should also figure out something else obvious too.

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Mexico<strong>

Clark spent the night wondering and worrying about Lois. Her strange phone calls were only half the reason. The thought that Lois was a little tipsy after Chloe's party worried him. It was not beyond reason to presume she had indulged in quite a few champagnes. Clark clearly remembered Chloe and Jimmy's engagement party. He dreaded to think what embarrassing things she's said and done this time. And he wasn't there to intervene. That thought prodded at his heart. He felt bad for missing Chloe's party, but he had sent his present along with Ollie, and Chloe knew that he was with Bart. But that wasn't where the pain came from. It was not being there for Lois; to save her from herself, to protect and look after her. That was what upset him most.

Even so, his confusion mostly came from one comment in particular that Lois had made in one of her phone calls. She'd talked about seeing a bridge … at the exact same moment he'd been gazing out over the bridge which linked Central City to Keystone City.

In the end Clark could only chalk it up to coincidence and alcohol. Still, he couldn't get her out of his mind and as he ran between home and Metropolis throughout much of the night he continued to think about her. When he finally left behind his Red-Blue Blur duties and slipped into bed he dreamt of Lois.

They sat across from each other in the bullpen. He glanced up and found her looking at him. He looked away, a little embarrassed, especially once he realised he was naked. When he peered over his monitor a moment later she was still staring at him. It was unnerving. Yet he didn't seem to be attempting to dress himself. She never said a word, either, passing up obvious chances to tease him. She just stared.

When he woke in the morning, after only a few hours sleep, he felt mentally uncomfortable and, as he prepared his breakfast, he attributed the constant feeling of being watched to the dream.

* * *

><p>"So, everything's ok with you in Mexico, Lois?" Chloe's voice, although it really didn't sound like her, came down the phone.<p>

"Everything's great. Except for government oppression and slave labour. Why?"

"Uh! It's just. You're sure? Nothing weird?" Lois blinked, confused.

"No Chlo. What is going on? You don't sound like yourself," Lois pointed out.

"No uh me. Just got a frog in my throat." _Yeah, I can get that. Party all night and you pay for it in the morning._

"OK, well you take care," Lois said breezily.

"You too," replied Chloe.

Lois flipped her phone closed and stared at it in confusion. She shook her head and then put the phone away in her pocket. _I guess she was affected by the bad champagne too._ As the vehicle, which barely passed for public transportation, continued on its journey Lois reflected on the weird dreams she'd experienced through the night. A large, familiar city had featured prominently and she'd visited every corner during the night. In fact she felt exhausted. The dizzy sensation which had started last night continued on this morning and it had intensified. If she closed her eyes to try and help then it had the opposite effect.

"Hey!" she turned and called out to the driver. "How much longer?"

"No mucho más lejos dama. Cerca de quince minutos," the driver replied in quick Spanish.

"Same to you, buddy," she mumbled back under her breath, convinced he's said something rude.

The bus stopped suddenly, jolting her, causing her to topple over and into a young girl. "Sorry," she apologised. The door opened and two people got off leaving a space. "Thank God," Lois cried out and scrambled for the space. When she was comfortable she leant back and closed her eyes.

Immediately the swirly patterns began but Lois found herself looking through them expectantly this time. _Maybe I'm getting used to this,_ she thought.

Her dream on the plane had been a mixture of blurry pictures and almost clear buildings. She thought she'd recognised some and at one point it had seemed like she was looking down on a city from a great height.

This time, as the swirls cleared, the picture was crisp and bright. It was a street in a city. She tried to glance around; up, down, to the side; but it didn't work. Lois frowned at her failure. Suddenly the view changed of its own accord and Lois found herself looking back and across the street. She watched horrified when a little boy slipped out of his mother's grasp and ran into the road. Lois gripped the side of her seat in terror. Cars streamed passed her vision but the boy continued to run.

A wave of nausea hit her as the scene blurred and then she was stood on the other side of the road. From quite a distance away she could still see the mother, but the boy was now back in her arms. She grasped him tightly; her eyes shut. When she opened them Lois saw her glancing around. As she lowered the boy back down she turned, searching. When she didn't find what she was looking for she grasped her son's hand and walked on.

The vision returned to its starting point then, moving steadily down the street. Lois began to recognise the buildings. It was so familiar. The vision even stopped at her favourite coffee vendor on the corner of Main and 5th. She began to get the feeling that she was actually heading for work.

"We here, miss," came a voice and her eyes shot open.

"Uh, thanks." She reached for her bag and clambered out of the open door.

* * *

><p>Clark looked at the caller id on his phone when it rang and smiled. <em>Lois. The real Lois.<em>

"Hi Lois," he answered.

"Hey Smallville. I'm on my way back now. Sorry I haven't phoned all day but duty calls. I've been caught up in interviews and pickets and sweaty miners."

"Sounds super," Clark replied sarcastically.

"Har har. Well, I guess I didn't give you a second thought. Hope you weren't worried."

"Lois, the last I knew you were drunk on the plane complaining about something possibly happening to you. Of course I was worried." When she didn't reply he frowned. "Lois?"

"Uh, yeah. Of course you were," she breezed back. "I still think there was something up with that champagne. Maybe it's a good thing you missed the party or you'd have been affected too. I mean I'm still having these weird dizzy spells and seeing strange visions when I close my eyes and Chloe called me this morning sounding really weird … and what was that all about …" she seemed to be continuing but Clark jumped in.

"Uh, Lois, about that. When Chloe call you she, uh, wasn't exactly, uh." He paused. "Maybe I should let Chloe explain it herself." Clark could just imagine the confused look on her face but he thought it would be better for Chloe to tell the story of the wish gone wrong.

"All … right …" she drawled out. "So, did I miss any major news during the day?" she asked, but then didn't wait for an answer. "You know, I've got a pretty major story myself here. Definitely a front page article."

"I'm sure it is," Clark replied. A distant sound came to his ears. Screams. "Uh, I'm just gonna answer the other line Lois, stay there." He pressed the hold button on his phone and put it on his desk then zoomed off. It never occurred to him that he should have made his excuses and said goodbye: it just seemed natural to think about coming back to continue the conversation.

* * *

><p>Lois called out, "Clark!" then looked down at her phone. <em>It's still connected. <em>"Clark!" she tried again but there was no answer. Lois dropped herself into a seat at the boarding gate and sighed.

It had been a shock, half an hour ago, when she'd arrived at the airport to return home and remembered all the phone calls she'd given Clark the last time; she'd not spoken to him once today. She'd been so caught up in her story that she hadn't found a minute free. Not that she hadn't tried. For some reason her brain needed a daily … no, hourly … dose of Clark Kent and when she didn't get it she felt … antsy, fidgety, uncomfortable, as if there was energy to expel and no way to use it up. Banter with Clark definitely drained her of that energy. But he wasn't here and it was building up with no release.

So, here she was, waiting at the airport with her phone to her ear, waiting for him to return from his other phone call. She closed her eyes, groaning at how pathetic she was when it came to Clark.

Immediately bright lights shone into her eyes. As the image sharpened she felt her heart racing. Flames were pouring out of an apartment block. People crowded around but there was no sign of a fire truck. She felt a need to do something but knew she couldn't. Her previous visions had proved that she had no control over what she was seeing. A sudden blur made her sway, even sat down, and then she was surrounded by the fire. She opened her mouth to scream out but then she saw a young girl trapped in the corner of the room. As she watched her vision moved forward and further into the fire. Once it passed through she stood directly above the huddled girl. The scene dropped until she was on the same level as the girl. She looked up and her terrified face softened then she nodded. A sudden jerk upwards had her at full height again, the young girl still in view in the corner of her vision and then the blurs and swirls overtook once more.

The vision cleared momentarily back in the crowd outside. The girl was placed down on the floor and then the blurs returned.

Lois opened her eyes and blinked in shock. _Did I just witness a heroic rescue of a young girl stuck in a burning building? Or maybe I'm just **imagining** the kind of story that might knock me from column one._

"Lois? You still there?" Clark's voice came back through the phone.

"Uh yeah. Finished your other call then?"

"Yes," he replied. "So when do you take off?" Lois brought up her hand and looked at her wrist.

"Forty-five minutes I guess. There's no delay messages showing."

"So. You'll be in work tomorrow?" Lois tilted her head in shock_. Is he looking forward to seeing me?_

"Bright and early," she teased.

"Don't forget to speak to Chloe," Clark said, suddenly all serious.

"OK. And I'll see you tomorrow." When Lois hung up the phone she realised she was staring at it, smiling widely.

* * *

><p>Lois pushed into the apartment and called out. "Chloe. You here?"<p>

"Lois!" came a distant voice.

Lois dragged her suitcase behind her and then collapsed onto the couch. "Hi Chloe." She closed her eyes and was immediately assaulted by the rushing blurs.

"Lois, you're back, oh thank goodness I've had the weirdest day." She opened her eyes to see Chloe coming from the bathroom. Smiling, Lois stood and embraced her.

"Yes, I get the feeling something strange happened while I was gone. Your phone call. And Clark said something."

"Clark? You've already seen him?"

"No, I called him from the airport." Chloe's eyebrows rose.

"Lois, are you alright? Clark said you called him repeatedly on the way to Mexico."

Lois felt her heart jump in fear. "Uh, well, he needed to be made aware of how disappointed I was in him. I mean you and him have been best friends for years. I just can't understand why he wasn't there without ten-star reason."

Chloe sat down next to her. "Lois, it's fine. I know why he wasn't there. But I'm glad you're upset for me, and defending me. In fact I've recently seen how much you're on my side about certain things."

Lois wrinkled her brow. _How come everyone else seems ok about this except me? What don't I know? Boy, I really do wish I understood. Maybe that's what I should have wished for._ She laughed at herself internally.

Everything went quiet and Chloe lifted her hand then pushed some hair behind her ear. "Lois. At my party, did you happen to notice a lady magician?" Chloe sounded a little unsure.

"Yeah. Zata ... something."

"Zatanna."

Lois nodded. "That's it. At first I thought she was in the wrong place, dressed for a wacky nightclub or something."

"Did she … did she offer you a wish?" Chloe asked carefully.

"Actually she did," Lois laughed. "Nice idea, but seriously. How is she going to get more gigs if she can't deliver the goods." Lois frowned at Chloe's horrified look. "Chloe?"

"What … what did you wish?"

"I wished that Clark were there at the party for you. You needed him," Lois explained. "But that quite obviously was a waste of seven words."

Chloe breathed out a sigh of relief and sank back into the sofa. "Thank goodness."

"What? Chloe?"

"Zatanna, she uh, she certainly can deliver the goods. I got a wish."

"You did?" Lois questioned, suddenly assaulted by an ominous feeling.

"I, um." Chloe took a deep breath. "I wished to be you for the day." Lois choked on her own laughter. "Hey, it's not funny. I was looking at you. You were having so much fun, you have the job I've dreamed of my whole life. I was jealous."

"So you wished to be me," Lois felt a little weird. It upset her to think that her cousin envied her that much.

"Actually, no, that wasn't my intention. I sort of wished to have your life. But Zatanna put me IN your life. I looked like you. I went to work at the Daily Planet. Clark eventually helped me to track down Zatanna and apparently her wishes don't exactly work in the way you expect."

Lois frowned. "Yes, but Clark didn't turn up AT ALL. How can that be classed as a wish fulfilled, no matter how much it's 'not in the way I expected?'"

"I don't know. Maybe she was just making party conversation with you. But I know it was real. It was also kind of enlightening, to be in your body for a day."

"Really! How?" Lois wondered what could possibly have been that interesting.

"Well, the way a certain farm-boy we both know acts when you are around. I don't usually get to see that."

"What do you mean, how does Smallville act around me?" Lois was confused.

"Just … different." At Chloe's smirk she tipped her head sideways. "I mean, he's got a framed copy of some rules you gave him," she giggled. "It's pretty funny."

Lois felt her heart lurch. _He's framed my rules._ "Ok, Chloe. I want to know all of it. Tell me everything."

Chloe looked a little shifty for a moment. "Well, I can't give you a blow by blow of the whole day … but here goes."

* * *

><p>It was incredibly late when Lois finally went to bed. She and Chloe had talked for hours. Her cousin's body swap experience, without the swap, had made for an interesting chat, although Lois suspected that some details had been left out.<p>

As she laid her head down and closed her eyes she saw a different world spring to life. No longer was she in the apartment but she was out under the stars.

The scenery changed rapidly. She ran through the countryside by the light of the moon. Ahead of her she saw the skyline of a city. Instinctively she knew it was Metropolis. The speed at which she travelled made her feel like she was in a car. But there was no windshield in front, or roof, or door around her. Suddenly the speed increased and she could no-longer see the Metropolis skyscrapers clearly. Blurs of many colours covered her vision; and then she stood still once more. Now she was surrounded by the tall buildings. She stood centre city, only seconds after being out in the country.

As she zipped back and forth through the city she began to fall asleep. How she managed that she didn't know. With her mind racing so much it seemed impossible that it could shut down. As she drifted off she finally realised that this strange phenomenon had started soon after her encounter with Zatanna.

_Did I get a wish? Is this the 'obscure' way of Clark being at Chloe's party?_ But no matter how she tried to rationalise and ratify that thought she couldn't get it to make sense. There was no way in heaven or earth that this could translate as Clark appearing at the Ace 'o Clubs for Chloe.

_Maybe I should go and see this Zatanna anyway. If it is wish related in some way then I'm sure she can explain. Either that, or I'll get a cool story out of the interview if I can get her to admit to her wish-fulfilment sideline._

Lois fell asleep, still seeing the strange visions. They translated through into her dreams and continued for most of the night. When she woke she was even more determined to find this lady magician and get some answers.

* * *

><p>So, did you figure out which way Lois will figure it out?<br>And did you see the other obvious thing ... HEX really happened. Chloe still got her wish.

(Oh and if my Spanish sucked then I apologise - I translated it using Google.)

Comments please.


	3. Rules

Thanks to those who commented. Sorry for the delay in posting. I'm involved in a large collab which is the continuation of Smallville into Metropolis Season 1. Metropolis by the Dream Team, with Genevieve and Fwvidchick. The first 4 episodes have been manic, and exiting, and busy. But I have some spare time now so I'm trying to update my solo fics as much as I can.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: Rules<strong>

All through breakfast Lois pointedly kept herself from thinking about the dreams she'd had. She refused to focus on them, or let herself worry about the situation. Today she'd have her answer, get her solution, and there was no point wasting precious thinking time on something that would be sorted by lunchtime. As she left the apartment she gave a quick glance backwards and her mind drifted over to the conversation with Chloe the night before.

Lois still felt guilty; as if, somehow, she were to blame. Knowing how her cousin felt, and that she was the cause, pulled at her heart. Yet, as she pulled the door to, she smirked. Chloe had given her ammunition to use again the farm boy that was her Achilles heel. Anything that gave her an edge against the sexiest boy scout to ever live was gratefully accepted.

But she lost sight of that advantage when she sat down at her computer as she arrived. Her mind was now fully focussed on finding the fishnets lady. She waited while it booted up; her fingers tapping on the table and then she began looking around nervously. _Do people know it's me? How many of them know it wasn't me yesterday? _But more than that, she realised the tension was caused by the fact that Clark could walk around the corner at any moment and catch her unawares. Things always went better for her in a Clark-Lois conversation when she was prepared well in advance and she'd lost her composure now.

The computer went so slow that her focus drifted another notch and she found herself distracted by the latest edition of the paper resting at the edge of her table.

**Red-Blue Blur rescues girl**

She smiled. Her hero was continuing to prove himself. She just needed to find that certain special way to get his attention. He fascinated her. She felt a need to understand him, help him. Possibly she could even facilitate him revealing himself to the city. She was convinced that there was no need for him to work in the dark. A man so compassionate and willing to devote himself to saving the people of the city should not feel that he needed to hide.

As she skimmed the article a feeling of familiarity came over her. At the end of the passage she frowned and shook her head then went back to the start to read through more thoroughly. She'd only made it down one paragraph when her computer screen flickered to life.

She caught it in the corner of her view and immediately looked up then logged in to a search engine and began to type, completely forgetting the article along with the eerily familiar story. When the auto help showed her the name Zatanna after only typing Za she realised that this was how Chloe had searched yesterday. Clicking on the first link it took her to an advertisement page. Lois frowned and rested her chin on her hand when she noticed the sub heading.

**Limited Engagement**

She couldn't find a date anywhere. _How limited. _She panicked._ She better not be gone._

"Morning Lois," came Clark's voice and she looked up to see him sliding into his chair.

"Uh morning," she replied. _God, I so wasn't ready. Ok, think Lois, think. Say something to show you are the superior one in the relationship. _But nothing came to mind. She began to twist in her chair. She put her pen to her lips and chewed on it. Her eyes narrowed as her advantage returned. She continued twisting and smirked at Clark even though he couldn't see the smirk behind his monitor.

"Is there something on your mind Lois?" Clark looked round the side of his monitor.

"So how long did it take you to realise that I wasn't my usual charming self?"_ This was going to be fun._

"I have to admit I should have picked up on it sooner. You weren't as bossy ... and Chloe let me drive." Lois laughed inwardly at his tone; ever so slightly smug at his final comment.

"Well, little blond sources tell me that you don't mind my assertive flair." She leant forwards. "Let me see it."

"Lois, I don't know what you're talking about." Clark looked as innocent as a baby, but she knew it was all an act. Still, his sweet face nearly melted her resolve.

"You have a terrible poker face. Gimmie gimmie." Clark banged his fist on the table and reached into his drawer. As he drew out a small photo frame she reached over and snatched it then turned away. "Wow. Who would have known you were this sentimental. We should hang it up then everyone can see it."

"This," he took it back, "is a memento from my first day on the job and a constant reminder there's only one Lois Lane." Her heart did a little flip.

"You better believe it." She walked back to her desk and picked up her coat. As she slid her arms into it she slung her bag over her shoulder.

"Off out?" Clark asked, a strange hitch in his voice.

"Yeah. Chasing a story."

"You'll be back later?" _Is that a 'hopeful' tone that I detect?_ Lois wondered. _Or maybe he's just checking if I'll be on his case again later._

"Actually no. I'm out all day."

"And then tonight?" he said rather unbelievably.

"Mmm yeah. This guy in first class asked me out and I figured why the hell not, right?" She smiled at him sideways wondering what the thought of her having a date would do to him. "What about you? Big plans?"

"Na I'm just going to hang around here. Follow up on a few things. You want me to call you if anything comes through the wire. See if you're available." _He really does sound like he wants to spend time with me._ Lois's heart skipped a beat and then she recalled the utter disappointment and self-pity of sitting alone at a coffee shop table.

"You mean if you want to stand me up again?" Lois flung back sarcastically. Maybe he hadn't really deserved the tone, he had, after all, been asking politely; showing interest in her life.

"Lois that was…" he stammered, uncomfortably.

"A mistake, agreed. Why don't we just table this whole office, thrown together in the tranches sparks thing, ok. Back to basics. Keep the game on the field." She calmed her tone and replied friendly-like, but still truthfully.

"Yeah that's a good rule." He nodded but looked slightly confused. She could certainly understand that, as she felt it in spades.

"You should add that to the list," she jibed as a parting comment and then left.

* * *

><p>Lois drove to the theatre in a haze. While she enjoyed teasing Clark, it was probably her favourite past time, she'd become used to him lobbing back sarcastic shots. He hadn't done that this morning. He'd seemed … embarrassed … to be caught hoarding her journalistic words of wisdom. It seemed he was also concerned over his lack of ability to realise that his work partner had been Chloe in a Lois suit.<p>

Her parting comment about heading off for a date had been meant as an obvious stab at Clark's inability to recognise her hotness, but all it had done was remind Lois of Clark's inability to see her as anything but an annoying acquaintance.

When she pulled into a parking spot still a block from the theatre she turned off the engine and rested her head and arms on the steering wheel.

"And when did **_I_** stop thinking of Smallville as an annoying acquaintance? And why can't I seem to put him back in that box now that it's clear he's not interested." Swirls began to form on her eyelids and she sprang up quickly. "Oh no. We're here to see about stopping that." She climbed out of the car and strode along the street purposefully.

It was clear she was in the right place when she was suddenly confronted by a giant poster of the star of the show: Zatanna.

Lois stopped and considered the seven foot poster. "Chloe says you really grant wishes lady. Well if you granted mine you sure got it wrong and you better put it right." Swivelling on her heel she reached for the door and encountered resistance. She rattled at each one and pounded on the doors but there was no acknowledgement of her presence.

Nibbling the inside of her cheek and pursing her lips Lois glanced around and noticed a thin passageway leading behind the building. When she emerged around the back she grinned in triumph. An open window. It didn't take much to manoeuvre a stack of crates and wiggle through and when she landed on the floor inside the theatre's rest room she grinned once more. A quick wipe of her clothes with a damp paper towel and she strolled through the swing doors and out into the backstage area.

Investigation of each door along the corridor eventually led her to a solo dressing room with the name Zatanna plastered on it. Lois turned the handle and stepped in only to drop her jaw in shock when she found it empty. "No!" She strode in and turned round and round. "No! You come back here and fix my vision, Zatanna," she shouted, stamping her foot on the floor.

"Can I help you?" came a smooth female voice. Lois immediately recognised it and she swung round to see her quarry in the doorway pulling down the nameplate.

"You." Lois strode forwards and pointed. "You turned my cousin into me. And you pulled some mumbo jumbo on my eyesight too."

The black-haired seductress raised her eyebrows in amusement, not at all phased by Lois. "Well. I guess that gives me my answer regarding why she wanted to be you. It must have been that Greek God she was partnering with as it certainly wasn't your pleasant personality."

Lois reigned in any desire to react but an intense jealousy flooded her. "Look, whatever you did … it wore off Chloe after a day but I'm still stuck with wacky vision."

Zatanna smirked. "Lois … is it?" Lois frowned. _I never gave my name._ "I'll tell you what I told your cousin and her hunky bodyguard. The wish will wear off when you no longer want it. That's the rule."

"Well, I don't. I don't want it. Why did I even want it to start with. I don't get it. I wished for Clark … that's his name by the way … the hunky Greek God you're drooling all over … I wished for him to be at the party so you got this wish way off base, Miss Zatanna."

"I never get a wish off base. Maybe you spoke those words, but your heart made a different wish."

Lois blinked, her mouth open in shock. "My what?"

"Your heart. That's the other rule." Zatanna stepped forwards and tapped on Lois's chest with a single finger. "So, tell me. What did your heart want two nights ago?"

"I … " Lois stuttered. "I don't know."

"Well, until you figure that out, it's going to be mighty difficult to know whether you still want it or not."

* * *

><p>Clark stared over at the empty desk opposite his. Lois had been gone for over an hour and it seemed that she wasn't returning. He closed his eyes and lent back in his seat, sighing. Somehow things had become complicated. For so many years he'd been sure of his inner thoughts and feelings, even if <em>life<em> was complicated, even if circumstances got in the way of what his thoughts and feelings desired. But he still knew.

Knew that he loved Lana Lang. Knew that he wanted a true soulmate. Knew that he held back because of fear … so many times … in so many situations.

But even his thoughts and feelings and, yes, his desires, had succumbed to the complications of his life. His thoughts skittered back and forth around unexpected things far to often, his feelings tumbled over highs and lows. And his desires, well, there was only one thing he could say with absolute certainty. He missed her. Everything else would waver between want, need, fear, worry and rejection.

Her. He missed her.

But the thing that shocked him most was the name of this 'her'. He'd imagined that he'd miss Lana. More than ever; more than the previous times that their relationship had peaked and ended. This time should have been ten time more bittersweet than before, ten times more painful; pulling at his soul every day. This time every obstacle was finally overcome: his secret, Lex, his powers, her need for revenge.

But it was a different person that he missed. And she hadn't even left. Well, not permanently. Not left 'the city'. She'd just left the Bull Pen for the day, but he still missed her. How ironic. He missed someone who hadn't even left his life, more than he missed his ex-girlfriend, who it was likely he'd never actually see again at all.

Clark opened his eyes and frowned over at the empty chair. Just an hour ago she sat in it, teasing him. God, he loved that. He felt so alive when they fought. And when he won, he somehow felt that he'd lost. Yet when he lost, he was convinced he'd won instead.

He lent forwards in his chair and rested on his hands. He wouldn't see her at all the rest of today: she was going on a date tonight. A guy from first class. His stomach had griped at her words. Thinking that she's be out with a stranger, on a date. The last time she'd ended up in serious trouble, calling for help on her cell. It had turned out that it wasn't really a date, just an undercover assignment. Still, Clark had felt that same griping in his stomach while he thought it was a real date.

Why? Clark couldn't figure it out. Something was changing: had changed, between him and Lois. When it had started he couldn't tell, where it would lead he didn't know. The uncomfortable feeling in his chest made him suspect something which was completely unbelievable. But when he remembered her leaving with that smug smile … on the way to a date, well, later on tonight anyway, he closed his eyes in pain.

Clark got the feeling it was a bluff, though, same as the previous time. All subterfuge. There was no date, no guy from First Class. But this time it was no undercover investigation. She was just hiding. His heart rolled over again, the same thing it did a hundred times every day. Was it him she was hiding from? Or was it intimacy with someone: anyone? He knew she'd been hurt in the past. He knew she had a heart bigger than all of Kansas, but that made it all the easier to break. So she had built a steel wall around it.

He sat up in shock, his heart beating double-time suddenly, and widened his eyes when he realised something that she'd said earlier.

_"You mean if you want to stand me up again?"_

_She … thought it was a 'date'?_ Clark dropped his mouth open in surprise. He knew they'd been going to _talk_ about the unexpected result of their wedding dance, but no-one had mentioned the word 'date'.

"Did she …" he whispered out to himself and then gulped. "Does she want a date? A **real** date? With me?" He realised the pain that had been hidden in her words, in her return text to him, meant to cover her embarrassment, shame, and upset. He'd caused that, by not realising how much of her heart she'd let herself uncover: pulling back the steel wall.

And Clark's life became even more complicated.

* * *

><p>"Ok, Lois. Think." She sat in the Ace 'o' Clubs, early evening punters just starting to wander in. "What did I really want. What did my <em>heart<em> wish for?"

After leaving the theatre in confusion she'd wandered around, looking for a story - any story - to keep from going back to the Bull Pen. She'd sat in too many coffee shops writing useless notes about trivial situations while desperately trying to keep from spending any contemplative time with her eyes closed. It was so easy to focus with eyes closed, but all it did was bring about visions that were not her own, and intensify her frustration.

She didn't want them. Well, apparently she **did** want whatever they were supposed to bring about, but she didn't want the **them**: the blurry visions.

So she'd come here the moment the doors opened, after a day of frustrated musings. Her theory was that she could place herself back in the situation easier by being here. Maybe she could move through the memory and get back to the exact moment.

It didn't work.

She closed her eyes, forgetting what would automatically happen, hoping to imagine the surroundings from two nights ago: bring to life the feel of the music, the guests, the conversations, seeing Zatanna walk the room, watching Chloe. But it still didn't work, all she saw was the blur of colour again, but it never coalesced into a recognisable scene, and she felt angry at herself for not realising that it would happen anyway.

Opening her eyes, she sighed. _One last chance, Lois._

She walked to the bar and slid a note across. "Give me a champagne," she smiled. The bartender, quite a dishy guy, smiled back and she smirked at herself. She leant on the bar with her elbows and looked out over the room. _ Maybe one of the problems is the ambiance. It's not the same, the music is wrong, the number of people._ She sighed and turned back when the bartender coughed to get her attention.

"Miss …"

"Oh, thanks," she nodded at the man and then picked up the champagne flute, lifting it in salute to him. She began a slow trip about the room. This time her theory was that she was trying too hard. Maybe a little liquid relaxation would help. Plus champagne had been the drink of choice on the night in question so maybe it would help unlock a few mysteries for her.

As she walked around the room trying to place herself back at the scene she started to feel the same annoyance. Chloe was here alone. Clark was missing. It was at this point that Zatanna had approached her. "Lois, you're here again." She tapped her head with her fingertips. "She's walked up to you with that tray … the fishnets … remember …"

_"You look like someone in need of a little magic in her life."_

"This is it. It's something to do with Clark not being here." She groaned and turned away, heading off in a different direction. "No, it's not. That's the wish that didn't come true Lois, remember," she chastised herself.

As she stalked around the room, utterly tense again, she muttered. "And I still don't know why he wasn't here." Her anger began to spill over. "Chloe said that she **did** know, and it didn't matter, but why will no-one tell me? God I wish I understood?" She gestured with her arms, the champagne glass spilling it's bubbly refreshment out onto the carpet.

Lois didn't notice, her mind was suddenly transported back. "That's it. I wanted to _understand_ something. What? What did I want to understand?" She stood still, willing the rest to come. Minutes passed in silence for her, the rest of the club moving on around. Eventually she pursed her lips and then shook her head. "Nope. Still don't get this situation. If that's right, then what am I understanding with these visions? How can they be giving me insight into … something unknown?"

She took a final swig of her champagne and then slammed down the empty glass on a table. Stalking to the entrance she began to ponder the idea of 'understanding'. At the door she turned back to take in the room again. "Ok, so I'm going to gain an understanding of … something. I guess the only way to figure out what I want to understand is to see this wish through. And until I understand, or I no longer want to understand I'm stuck with this." She turned again and left the club. "Come on then, Little Miss Swirls, let's go home, get me some shut eye and gain as much understanding as a girl can get."

* * *

><p>Comments please. I must just explain that this was the last of the 'set-up' chapters. Much of what's happened has been setting up the scene, dropping info to the appropriate characters and fitting it into the Hex episode. Things will move along now (especially LoisClark 'things').


	4. Revelation

Thanks for your comments. Hope you are all ready for some more.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: Revelation<strong>

Clark tried to lose his confusion in patrolling. He sat in the Bull Pen listening to the police scanner. Everything was quiet: the office, the airwaves … his phone. Somehow he'd still expected a desperate call from Lois needing some kind of rescue from her date. The date he was sure wasn't actually happening. This time it wasn't even an undercover operation that she pretended was a date. No date. Definitely. Because if there was ...

Clark didn't want to think about it.

Finally resigning himself to a lonely evening he switched off his computer, ready to leave. Just as he reached for the flick switch on the scanner it burst to life.

_All units, all units. Robbery in progress. Main and 7th. All ca_

Clark flicked off the scanner then blurred away as the crackling noise faded from the empty room.

Dressed in his blue t-shirt and red jacket he arrived at the scene moments later. A van was parked centrally in the smashed glass front of an antique store. The alarm was blazing; presumably what had alerted the police. Clark figured that the thieves were expecting to escape before any police arrived. They were probably right, but they hadn't figured on him: the Red-Blue Blur.

He whirled around the shop, tying up the thieves in a blur. Once done he stopped to survey the scene for a moment then sped off. Now that he was out and already in the red and blue there was no point in going back to the Bull Pen. He sped around the city actively patrolling. He felt a sense of satisfaction seep into his soul. This was his destiny. This was his legacy to the city, to the world. His abilities gave him the ultimate advantage at changing the world for the better.

When he arrived at the scene of a multi-car pile-up the feeling of loneliness, which started in the empty Bull Pen earlier, faded away. He felt encouraged, supported … as if there were someone by his side the whole time. As he worked through the night to prevent accidents, rescue Metropolis residents and capture criminals he smiled in contentment.

* * *

><p>When Lois climbed into bed her heart was pounding in anticipation. She'd rushed home and then hurried through her night-time preparations wanting to start her 'understanding' as soon as possible. As her head hit the pillow she closed her eyes and finally allowed the visions to dominate her consciousness fully.<p>

The swirls coalesced into a vision of destruction. A car pile-up on an overpass. What was this supposed to show her? Did she need an understanding of disaster, or maybe triage? As she watched it seemed like she flitted around the cars, back and forth. It still didn't make sense why she had passages of blurry colours interspersed with clearer pictures. What was the meaning of that? How did it relate to understanding something, or was it just a random effect of the wish?

As the night drew on she drifted into sleep and the visions translated themselves into dreams. They seemed more real sometimes, and other times they were almost fairy-tale like. Standing on top of a tall Metropolis building she'd leapt off and dropped to street level, almost flying.

In the morning, before even climbing out of bed, Lois grabbed the pad and pen from her bedside table and began documenting every single memory. She worked frantically, scribbling away for ten minutes whatever came to mind. As she came to the early morning hours she realised that her dreams had changed; it seemed that she'd descended all the way into her own unconscious and allowed her unwanted feelings to roam free. She didn't write those down, just rolled her eyes at how pathetic and infatuated her subconscious was when it came to Clark. When she looked back down she realised she was done. She looked back over her work and laughed at how terrible it was. How would she ever interpret that spidery mess? But as she worked her way down each line she found that it all made sense.

Accidents, crime, rescues, Metropolis. Everything fit into those categories.

She tapped the end of the pen on her lips and her mind began to form the thoughts that would change her life. _I've been presuming that this wish was about Clark. And then Zatanna blew that presumption out of the water saying that my words didn't make the wish, my heart did._ That wasn't to say that it couldn't still have been _something_ to do with Clark - especially if the heart was involved. But there was also something else on her heart and mind constantly. Yes, farm boy took up far to many seconds in her thought allocation, but something … someone … else had also taken up residence in her life.

Lois pushed back the covers and pulled on the first pair of jeans she could grab. A t-shirt, a pair of socks and a pair of trainers followed quickly and then she ran to the kitchen. At the refrigerator she pulled open the door and took a swig directly from the juice bottle. At the door she grabbed her coat, bag and keys and then left.

It was only half way to the Daily Planet that she noticed her socks didn't match.

* * *

><p>Clark woke up early, he always did. This morning was no different. He'd patrolled for much of the night, then come home for the necessary 2-3 hours sleep. He'd been free of dreams until only just before waking. He lay in bed, frowning and blinking.<p>

He'd never experienced recurring nightmares before, and it wasn't necessarily a nightmare, but it was definitely uncomfortable and embarrassing. He'd been sat at his desk, naked again. He looked up to see Lois approaching. She was at the bottom of the basement stairs. She was aiming directly for him, never blinking. He still felt no need to dress, though. He went back to work: an article on crime. Looking up moments later she was a few steps closer. This continued on, each time he wrote more and she moved a few steps closer. As she did he became more concerned. If she came too close she'd see …

He pushed aside the covers and pushed himself up. He sat on the side of the bed and ran his fingers through his hair. He'd been worried she would see something. She was getting closer and closer, and when she got near enough she'd see. It was quite understandable, but what confused him was that in the dream he hadn't been afraid of her seeing him naked, he'd been afraid of her seeing the article he was writing, the article on crime. The one that revealed every tiny detail about…

He stood and purposefully stalked to the bathroom pushing those thoughts aside. He brushed his teeth and washed his face then suddenly stopped and stared at himself in the mirror.

She'd been naked too. All blurry and fuzzy, yes, but Lois had been naked, from the start.

He shook his head. _It's just a dream._

In the kitchen he made himself some toast in the traditional manner, well, traditional for him since his 15th year. As he took his first bite he paused again.

_Lana._

He dropped the toast to the table and dropped himself into a seat.

Lana had been in the Bull Pen too. She'd been at the opposite end of the room, moving closer to him each time he looked up, just as with Lois. But she hadn't been naked. Actually, she'd been fully clothed, until she made it to Clark. Yes, she'd got all the way to his desk and then stood over his shoulder reading his article. At that point she'd stripped and become naked.

Clark blushed profusely. Thank goodness there was no-one around to see. _ I'm having dreams that only belong in the mind of a teenage boy … naked … with two beautiful naked women._

* * *

><p>Lois arrived at the Bull Pen every nerve on the verge of screaming. She dare not voice the suspicion she had. She dare not even fully realise the thought.<p>

For some unknown reason there was a hold up at the staff entrance. Bizarre coincidence had too many people arriving at the very same second and trying to cram through the door. She rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth.

_Patience, Lane. Patience,_ she told herself. _Oh, who am I kidding._ "Get a move on. What in god's name is your problem, people?" She began to barge through the crowd and finally stumbled through the door. Skipping down the steps two at a time she raced to her desk and yanked open her drawer, pulling out yesterday's edition of the Daily Planet. It didn't take long to find the article she'd been reading the day before.

**Red-Blue Blur rescues girl**

This time she took it slowly. She swung out her chair and then lowered herself into it never moving her eyes from the article. After taking in all the factual details of the save, which were more than eerily familiar, they were downright honest memories, she stared at the black and white photo which captured the reunion of little girl with her parents; home ablaze in the background.

_I definitely saw this in my vision._

She put down the paper and brought her head up, looking around. "Jeff," she collared the young intern walking past.

"Yes Miss Lane," he swayed and turned at her touch then looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"Any word on Red-Blue Blur saves overnight?"

"Uh, you could try copy. They would have any articles submitted overnight by the graveyard shift."

Lois nodded and let go of the young guy's jumper. He stumbled backwards and let out an embarrassed giggle. "See, I told you you'd remember my name eventually." He shifted his eyes around then wandered away. Lois sighed and hung her head.

Taking a walk down the corridor she dropped herself into a seat next to Susan. "Any Red-Blue Blur saves overnight, Sue?" she asked sweetly.

Susan looked up from her computer and glared at her. "Lane, you should know better than to come fishing for information from other reporter's articles. How would you feel …" she began gesticulating wildly, "… if I blabbed your scoops all over the bull pen before they went to press."

"Hey, it's not like that. I'm not after stealing anything big." Lois paused and then elaborated before Susan continued to get the wrong idea. "I'm not after stealing **anything**, whether it's big or small, or whether it's ready for print now, or still needs multiple revisions and follow ups." She leaned forward and smiled. "I just want to know if there are any confirmed saves. What was he involved in over-night."

Susan frowned, her eyes twinkling a little.

"Please, it's actually nothing to do with an article."

"Well, I don't see why you can't wait till the edition is out, or even go check the messages which came in overnight on the wire, they're not restricted."

"Aw, but that's so …" she began, hoping to toss out a compliment but Susan was way ahead of her.

"so much like hard work … and you have no patience," she raised her eyebrows in mocking.

"Hmmph! You know me too well, Sue." Lois slumped back in the chair.

"Here you go," Susan held out a typed sheet. "It's just a list, there's no articles attached. Everything that could be attributed to the Red-Blue Blur from overnight."

"Thanks, Sue." Lois reached over and hugged her quickly. "You're a star." She sprang up from the chair and strode back to her desk.

* * *

><p>"Morning Lois," Clark breezed as he passed her desk and seated himself.<p>

"Uh!" she looked up, surprised to see him. He smiled at himself. _Two mornings in a row. Good work._ He didn't usually catch Lois Lane off guard. "Hi Clark." When she looked back down immediately he got worried.

"Lois, you okay?" he questioned.

"Uh huh," she murmured in the affirmative. "Just … checking on something." She sounded pre-occupied, and a little surprised.

"Major scoop?" he asked grinning and hoping for some chatter.

"Oh, no." She finally looked up and caught his eyes. Clark saw her come back to reality from … wherever … she had been. "The Red-Blue Blur," she blurted out and his heart jumped.

"Uhm," he glanced away and began fiddling with his pen. "What about him?"

"Did you know he saved a bunch of people in a multi-car pile-up last night?"

"I, uh, heard about it, yeah." He looked up and dared to meet her, eye to eye. "What about it," he smiled as naturally as he could.

"Oh, nothing. I just …" she looked back down at the paper in her hands and smiled wistfully, her brow crinkling ever so slightly.

"Just what?" Clark probed excruciatingly curious.

She shook her head in wonder. "He's amazing."

"I guess." He looked down to his pad on his desk and held a grin in check but it twitched at the corner of his mouth. The awe in her voice was unmistakable. When he looked back up she was studying that paper again. He lent back in his chair and gazed at her, not worrying if she noticed. She was amazing herself. He would never forget the way she'd taken everything in her stride on the day he'd re-written. It was all perfectly normal to her: normal and reasonable … to think that the nerd farm-boy she used to live with was actually a super-powered alien. And she'd stood by him, never doubting him. She'd even said some things that ...

And then he erased it all.

He sat up and wiped the happy look of his face. He didn't deserve it. He'd made his choice, and had to live with it. But, oh how he regretted it. Yet, even with his regret, he'd still gone and made the same mistake again. _When you regret something you don't turn your back on it if you just happen to be given a second chance._ Clark felt the pain tear at his insides. He **had** to turn back time. It was the only way to keep the world safe: to keep **her** safe.

But by doing that he'd lost the Lois that knew him and accepted him. He'd regretted that particular by-product immediately and when given the chance to get it back … he'd stupidly stood her up. _If you regret losing her then why haven't you taken a single opportunity to change it?_

"Lois?" Clark spoke without even realising it. Immediately he regretted it. Well, the scared alien boy inside him regretted it. But the bold, hopeful man continued on. "Do you want to get some coffee at lunch?"

Lois looked up at him as if he were an idiot. "Smallville, you're asking me if I want coffee at lunch time, and the tone hints that you think I should go get it myself too? It's not even …" she looked at her watch "… 9:30. I want my mid-morning coffee and my late-morning coffee before I even think about lunch."

"No, Lois. I mean …" his boldness left him and his throat dried up. "I mean, would you like to go out for lunch, take a break from the desk. I'll buy you coffee."

"Oh!" she looked shocked … and a little scared. "That sounds nice," she smiled and her face lit up.

* * *

><p>The Red-Blue Blur. She was seeing The Red-Blue Blur. Well, seeing what he was doing, and judging by the angle and the glance at arms and hands in her visions she was seeing <em><span>what<span>_ the Red-Blue Blur was seeing.

She risked a glance up at Clark. He was deep in work, focussed on his monitor. Looking back to the list of saves overnight she tried to calm her beating heart. The pounding hadn't been helped by Clark suggesting they get coffee at lunch as a break from work: her mind in a whirl, she'd accepted without any question, without any remark about his track record with coffee dates.

Not that it would be a date. Not with Clark. He was oblivious to her feelings … and her hotness. But he was such a genuine guy that it was quite acceptable for him to think of asking a female friend for coffee with no ulterior motive.

Lois mentally growled at herself. _Stop obsessing._ She took a swig of her coffee and went back to studying the list. She's been ticking down it save by save. There were some gaps. She didn't remember a crane collapsing, or the apparent watery rescue of an out of control car diving off the bridge. Her only explanation was that her own dreams and subconscious had been too strong at those points.

As her pulse rate finally subsided she became aware of two overwhelming questions.

_What was my wish then … to get this?_

_And how can I use it to make a front page story?_

On impulse she pushed the paper away and drew her keyboard near. _ Well, I can start by making an article out of this list and just adding that personal touch from my memory._ She began to type furiously, suppressing the desire to close her eyes. The Red-Blue Blur did most of his work at night, under the cover of darkness. Oh, yes, there were day-time saves, but the majority were in the safety and anonymity that night-time brought.

_Was that my wish? I want to know who he is? Maybe I need to bring him out of anonymity._

She shook her head and took another drink. _ No, I admit, it's definitely something I want but I don't think it's what was in my heart._ She pursed her lips. _But it's my best guess at the moment. _She frowned. _And it's going to be hard for me to no longer want that too, if it really is the wish!_

Lois worked diligently through the morning and was immensely pleased with herself when she printed off her article.

She'd resisted closing her eyes for Blur time.  
>She'd resisted thinking about Farm Boy.<br>She'd resisted looking up at Plaid King.

All of a sudden she realised that she was along. He wasn't around. She whipped her head from side to side, searching. "Clark!" she called. When it became obvious that he'd left she laughed in surprise. "Wow, I was super focussed, I had no idea he'd done a Houdini."

After delivering her article to copy she noticed the time. 11:45. "Uh oh! Did we make a time or not? Has he already gone? Was I meeting him there?" Lois screeched in frustration inside her brain and knocked her head back against her head rest to let out a little annoyance. Her eyes closed. When blurred visions sharpened and revealed a block of flats shaking and trembling Lois popped her eyes open and sat up straight immediately. She glanced around, somehow worried that other people has seen but realised her stupidity immediately. A cunning thought began to play around in her head. She narrowed her eyes and looked around, shiftily, checking the lay of the land and the people looking in her direction.

A smile twitched the corner of her mouth up as she rested her head back and closed her eyes again. The building immediately jumped into view, trembling even more. The Red-Blue Blur looked up and Lois saw bricks raining down from the top floors. Her breath caught. _ It's going to collapse._ A sudden blur had her feeling momentarily nauseous in her chair. She was back outside again. The blurs returned and then she found herself in a stairwell. A lady was rushing down the steps, stumbling from side to side. The Red-Blue Blur picked her up and then blurs covered her vision again. Outside once more the lady was deposited. It continued.

Lois opened her eyes and reached for her bag and coat. "Chasing a story … if Clark comes back looking for me," she shouted to no-one in particular.

Outside she hailed a cab and told it to head for Hob's Bay. That was the most likely place that a dilapidated tenement building would be collapsing due to lack of care.

"The blurs," she mumbled to herself as the cabbie weaved through the traffic. "It's him … moving fast."

"Huh?" asked the driver, wondering if she was giving him further instructions.

"Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself."

Lois nibbled on a fingernail. _ I thought they were … faulty reception … or something, maybe interference on the wish. But it's his speed._ Her eyes widened in wonder and her mouth dropped open. "Wow!" she exhaled.

As the cabbie got closer to the slums it became obvious she was in the right place. Traffic was backed up, ambulances were parked all along the side. She scrambled out of the cab, throwing a random note at the driver and began to scurry along the road.

_I hope he's still here. I hope he's still here,_ she repeated to herself. _Dang, why didn't I check while I was still in the cab?_ She stopped and struck her palm to her forehead completely stunned at her stupid mistake. As she ran round the corner and the whole scene laid itself out in front of her own eyes she dropped her jaw in horror. The whole building was now just a pile of rubble. Her hand went to her mouth to cover her shock and she started the slow walk into the fray. There would be witness statements, police reports, tragedies hopefully averted … it was going to be a front page-er for sure.

As she approached a uniformed officer she overheard him talking, noting down the time and she brought up her wrist to corroborate. 12:25pm.

**Lunch.**

**Coffee.**

**With Clark.**

The thoughts shouted, starkly, in her mind. As she took in the devastation around her, her brow wrinkled and her heart sagged with heavy emotion. She had a job to do. And Clark could wait. Clark would **have** to wait. And maybe it was just what he deserved.

* * *

><p>Time for comments. I'll let you in on a secret - I was originally going to have their lunchcoffee in this chapter, but I decided to give Lois a bit of revenge. You will get a coffee date though.

Plus can you interpret Clark's dream? You'll actually get the answer in the next chapter.

Please, please comment.


	5. Interpretation

Thanks so much for your comments and I'm really sorry it's taken ages to update. Hope it's worth it.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: Interpretation<strong>

_Swamped with work …_  
><em>Where are you? I thought we were going for lunch.<em>

Lois stared at the two text messages. The first one filled her heart with groaning disappointment, so why hadn't she immediately deleted it? She had no idea. The second one … when it had first arrived this afternoon she'd been filled with a sense of satisfaction and had fired off a reply

_Apartment building collapse. Getting the scoop._

Now, nursing a bottle and waiting for Chloe to come home, she felt ashamed. When she'd realised she wouldn't make it back in time she should have called him. Instead she'd caused him to worry and when he'd texted she'd only sent back a business-like response. One of the reason that she'd fallen … developed a respect for Clark … was his caring personality. He genuinely worried about people and the thought that he worried about her sent her stomach and heart into flip-flops. She hoped it meant something, but knew it didn't.

She shut her phone and tossed it next to her on the couch then took another swig of the cold beer. She swung her head round at the sound of the door. "Chloe, that you?" she called out.

"Hi Lois," she called back. Lois stood and wandered over to the kitchen where Chloe was now tossing down her bag. She extracted two new bottles from the fridge and passed one to Chloe.

"Chloe, how was today?"

Chloe smiled and nodded as if keeping a secret. "Today was … good."

Lois smile herself, amused. "Well, ok then. Glad you've sorted out … whatever you needed to sort out."

Chloe shrugged out of her coat and they both strolled back over to the couch, settling into the cushions. While Chloe took a few mouthfuls Lois just grinned at her. "Ok," Chloe finally snapped. "What is this?"

"I'm just curious. You talk about working out what your priorities were … what you wanted to do with your life. Then you make a strange phone call and now you're back: grinning to yourself like you know the secrets to the universe."

"I just … I figured it out," she explained. Lois took another gulp of bubbly and listened. "Zatanna's hex made me realise some things and I discovered what I really want to spend my life doing … not what I _thought_ I wanted to spend my life doing."

Lois frowned and nibbled her lip. "So … you're glad you got a supernatural birthday wish?"

"Kind of," Chloe pondered. "What I'm really annoyed at is that it took something so extreme for me to realise it. I mean … I can't believe I ended up as you for a day 'cause that stupid hex thought it was my heart's desire."

Lois's heart skipped a beat at the coming conversation but knew it was inevitable. Plus she did want an opportunity to work through her own situation … just … without revealing that she was in a 'situation'. "But my understanding is that it does give you your heart's desire, Chloe."

"No, no … maybe, in that particular moment in time … but not overall. Kind of like if I'd been out in the desert for a week. My heart's desire would be a glass of water, but without that all consuming thirst it most definitely wouldn't be." Chloe turned to look at Lois and saw the upset displayed plainly on her face. "Oh Lois. I am soo not jealous of you. Please believe me."

Lois smiled. "I … I know, Chlo. It's just odd to think that you were …" When Chloe started to protest she rushed on. "… just for that particular second."

"Yeah," Chloe sighed. "So much so that the hex interpreted it 'literally' as me wanting your life rather than 'figuratively' wanting it."

"Hmm," Lois agreed. Quiet fell and the cousins supped away at their drinks. "I still can't figure out," Lois suddenly spoke, "How my wish fits into this."

"You still think Zatanna granted you a wish?" Chloe asked, confused, thinking that Lois had decided she hadn't been given one.

"What, no!" Lois replied suddenly. "But maybe .. Maybe I did and I can't figure it out due to these stupid rules." Lois flicked her eyes away to avoid looking Chloe directly in the face. "First it's what you wish in your heart, not what you say out loud. Second, it's your wish in 'that moment' not your true heart's desire. Third, it interprets your wish literally."

"So what did you wish?" Chloe prompted.

"I wished that Clark were at your party."

"And what was in your heart?"

Lois sighed. "That I don't know."

Chloe laughed. "Well it's a good thing it was only talk with you then."

"Yeah," Lois murmured.

It was much later in the evening, after many more bottles, that Lois went to bed; her head swimming without even closing her eyes and experiencing the disorienting blurs that accompanied her visions. As she attempted to drift off to sleep, half seeing through the Red-Blue Blur's eyes and half seeing alcohol induces blurs, she considered what she was learning about the wish.

If it was true heart's desire then there was only a few choices. Knowing who the Red-Blue Blur was … it **was** possible, but in her moments of brutal honesty Lois knew that it was probably something else. Yet where was the literal interpretation? How would she get to know who he was unless he looked in a mirror … and she happened to have her eyes closed at the same time? Plus, would a random stranger's face mean anything to her?

Except … what had been her heart's wish at the specific moment in time? She'd been thinking about Chloe … and Clark. And that took her back to her true heart's desire again. Maybe the wish ignored her spoken words, but maybe her wish at that time was also to do with Clark. Her heart probably still wanted something to do with him.

_... really wish I knew where Clark was._

Her eyes sprang open and her hand went to her mouth. "Literal interpretation," she said. "It showed me … He was being saved by the Red-Blue Blur. He was in trouble. If I'd closed my eyes then I'd have seen it. I'd have got my answer."

She frowned and sighed then flopped back onto the pillow. "Why the heck did no-one tell me. Instead they let me be angry at him for missing Chloe's birthday." As she fell asleep she unconsciously forgave him.

* * *

><p>Clark left the boss's office frowning. Frustration followed his every step back down to the bull pen. He was pretty sure there was a serial killer on the loose but Tess wouldn't let his article go to print. He flopped into his chair and it spun a little. Frowning he rolled his eyes and then caught sight of the front page of today's issue. He sprang forwards and folded out the whole page then scanned his eyes up and down.<p>

**Apartment Block collapse. All saved.**

Clark was unable to stop a small smile creep onto his face as he read about how every single tenant had been 'whooshed' out to safety before the trembling building had eventually crumbled in on itself.

Glancing back up to the by-line he was surprised to see that it was by Jenny Jones, a well respected journalist from the 8th floor: the city beat. "So, where's Lois's article?" Clark questioned. His heart suddenly kicked into overdrive, nerves knotting his stomach. It was an unwanted re-living of originally receiving her text yesterday lunchtime. The suspicion that she'd 'backed out' of their lunch date became an almost certainty.

The fire of hope which had started in his heart yesterday flicked and guttered in pain.

His eyes drifted below the fold … to an accompanying editorial article.

**Imagine by Lois Lane.**

His heart lurched again. _She **has** written an article. It wasn't a rejection._ As his pulse beat around wildly he began to read.

_Imagine being trapped in your bedroom. Fire is raging all around you. Maybe someone knows you're here. Maybe not. Maybe someone has called the emergency services. Maybe not. Imagine that you call out for your mommy … but there is no reply. You suck in a lung full of hot, ashy smoke and begin to cough._

_Imagine living on the top floor of a condemned building; hoping against hope that it would last a few more years … until you could get that promotion. Imagine the ground beginning to shake. You stumble out of your apartment door and head for the stairs. The building continues to shudder and the stairs beneath you begin to crumble._

_Imagine walking down the high street; a beautiful morning. You are hand in hand with your happy son. Imagine that your concentration wanders for just a second and he slips out of your grasp. He shoots off across the road to the ice cream stand you've often stopped at to get him a treat._

_There's no hope. This is it. Your life will change in this moment, and **not** for the better._

_And now ..._

_Imagine__ if there was someone who could help._

Clark leant back; his mouth dropping open in shock. As his mind wrapped itself around the idea of Lois writing so clearly about his saves she dropped into the seat opposite.

"Morning Smallville," she chirped at him. Unable to get his mouth to work he just blinked. "Cat got your tongue there?" she teased.

"Uhm. Morning Lois," he frowned and slapped the paper down on his desk. While Lois booted up her computer he shuffled forward and continued reading the article while constantly glancing back up at her. As he read further his erratic heart found no relief. She described his saves almost down to the minute detail, drawing the reader in, eliciting the same fear reaction that those three victims must have had. And then she worked the reader through the dramatic rescues bringing out the joy that came with assured safety.

Clark looked up, startled when Lois growled quietly. He frowned and listened as she mumbled something to herself.

"Stupid alcohol … and, slash, or, pain jamming my transmission."

"Something up with your car Lois?"

"Huh!" she looked up confused. "Oh …" she flicked her eyes around warily. "Um, yeah, that's what I meant." She looked back down again.

"Nice work on the article, Lois." Clark smiled at her hoping for some more conversation.

"Thanks," she smiled to herself.

"So how'd you get all this information then, these scenes are pretty dramatic." Clark kept his face as open as possible.

"I have my sources," she replied, still smiling knowingly to herself and not looking up.

"Who?" he questioned hopefully.

"Smallville," she finally looked up at him, straight in the eyes. "You know I can't reveal my sources. It's rule No 1."

"No, that's always KNOW your source."

"Same thing." She waved her hand in the air.

Clark looked away and focussed on the article again. _How can I get her to spill the secret of this article. How did she know._ He rubbed his forehead with two fingers. _Or is it completely just coincidence? _Glancing through his lashes and over to the opposite desk he also noticed the time.

"Come on, I'll take you for lunch, seeing as you missed yesterday's due to this article." He stood as he was talking, paper still in hand, but he dropped it back to the table as he walked around to her.

She smiled up at him and he read a little confusion in her face.

"Sure … thanks, Smallville." She stood and then bent over to pick up her bag exposing the small bit of flesh around her ankles when her trousers rode up. He grinned.

"So, I see you managed matching socks today, Lois."

She whirled around to glare at him but he also saw surprise. "How did you …" she fumbled. "You … you noticed?" she asked breathlessly. He just grinned wider and then offered his arm to her.

* * *

><p>"So Lois, you have a real respect for this Red-Blue Blur?" Clark opened the conversation once their food arrived. He leapt in with both feet, testing the waters about his secret identity. He reminded himself that he had first hand proof of her loyalty and acceptance. <em>But just because it happened that way once, doesn't mean it would again.<em>

"Yeah!" Lois replied with the unspoken comment '_Of course, you dumb farm boy_,' evident in her tone.

"But don't you ever wonder about him …?" Clark probed, suddenly unsure why he was really risking this.

"Wonder what? Who he is? Sure, I guess everyone does." _ Including me, obviously, if this wish is anything to go by._ "But more than that, I wonder who he is inside … why he does this." She lent forwards and smiled inwardly.

"Why? To help, Lois. Isn't that obvious?" Clark couldn't believe she wouldn't realise that.

"But why does he _choose_ to help?" She pleaded.

"Because he can?" he offered as an answer.

"Hmm," she settled back in her chair. "I just wish I knew." The wistful tone was quite clear.

"You want to know who he is don't you?" Clark's heart beat steady, but his stomach rolled slightly.

"Yeah, I do." She smiled. "But only so that I can talk to him. Tell him. He doesn't need to work in the dark like that. Most of his saves are at night, in private. What is he afraid of. He should let people know he's here. Let them see everything he stands for. I just want to tell him that he shouldn't hide."

"Maybe he feels he needs to."

"What, because he's different. Everyone's different Smallville. Whether it's looks, personality, illnesses, quirks. He just happens to have super abilities." Lois became animated, her hands gesturing around.

"But why would people accept someone like that?" Lois missed the disbelief in his tone.

"Well, believe me I know about the meteor rocks; Smallville's very own 'loaded gun'. Everyone infected turned Psycho. But I can't see him doing that."

"You think he's meteor infected?" Clark frowned.

"Why, what do you think? Chloe mentioned something about Mota, um, Meta-humans once. People who are born with special powers. You think he could be like that?"

"If he was, would it make any difference?" Clark looked intently at his sandwich, and gritted his teeth. The answer to this question could change everything.

"No. It wouldn't. However and why-ever he got this way. It's what he's chosen to do that matters." He breathed out as quietly as possible, not wanting to make it obvious that he'd been holding his breath.

Lois took a bite of her sandwich and looked over at Clark. "You never did explain why you weren't at Chloe's party."

"Speaking of that … as we were," Clark replied half confused, half sarcastic.

"Come on, Smallville. You've know me long enough to experience my random thought process." She narrowed her eyes when he didn't answer. "So … are you gonna tell?"

"Lois, there's nothing to tell," Clark answered defensively biting into his own sandwich.

"Clark, I know," she admitted.

"What!" His head sprung up.

"You were in trouble weren't you. He had to save you."

Clark lent back in his seat, relief coursing through him. "Wherever did you get that idea, Lois?"

"You don't need to deny it Clark. And it's okay. I know why you didn't tell me. You were embarrassed at having to be saved. It's nothing to be embarrassed about. He's saved me many times … and so have you."

"C … can we not talk about this please?" Clark asked. It was too awkward, and surreal. "How's Chloe, have you spoken to her about …"

"Oh we've had quite the heart to heart a couple of times. Seems being hit by the Zatanna Hex opens up your eyes to a lot of home truths."

"You can say that again," Clark mumbled and too a swig of coffee.

"What!" Lois frowned and leaned forward.

"Nothing," Clark smiled and looked away. _OK, Clark. Is this a date or isn't it, cause you've not really done anything different to usual when you have lunch with her._ He looked up over the rim of his coffee and sighed in disgust at himself. _You are pathetic. You really need to decide what you want. First you shut her out and erase a day of her life, then you regret it, but don't show up for a date … now you want a date and are fishing for information._ Clark gave himself a mental shake. _ Boy this is as confusing as that dream I had._

A silence descended and, as both of them ate quietly, Clark found himself drawn back to the dream. He steadfastly refused to linger on the idea of Lois being naked, but he knew that his own nakedness was symbolic of exposure, truthfulness: a secret exposed. He rested his elbows on the table and drew his sandwich to his mouth, peering at Lois over it. _Is she getting close to my secret. Am I afraid of that, or am I hoping that it will happen?_

Lois pulled out her notebook and stopped eating for a moment, jotting down some thoughts in her pad. Clark knew better than to ask her about it. He just continued to analyse his dream.

The reason for him being naked was quite obvious. But why was Lois … and Lana … also naked? Did they have secrets … or rather, did Clark's subconscious suspect them of having secrets?

_No. Lana didn't become naked until she found out my secret. And then she constantly attempted to 'match' that secret within herself._

Clark choked on a piece of tomato. _That's it. Lana's nakedness was a symbol of being equal to me. My nakedness is my secret, but Lana's symbolises that she 'forced' herself to be my equal - to match my 'situation' once she knew my secret … my powers._

_So. Does that mean Lois's nakedness is to do with 'equality' too?_

Clark turned his head to look away. He couldn't bring himself to have her in view as he considered this part of the dream.

_Lois was naked all along. She didn't try to become my equal. She always has been._

Clark's eyes widened as he turned back to look at her. Unbidden a smile came to his face. Lois didn't need a power suit, or money, or anything to be worthy of him: to be his equal. She balanced him out perfectly exactly as she was. And if … no when … she found out his secret, she wouldn't feel the need to change to measure up to him. Clark took a deep breath. He put down his half eaten sandwich and reached for a drink as he considered his next few words carefully. Suddenly Lois stood, shocking him out of his inner thoughts.

"Ok, I gotta go now. Thanks for lunch, I'll see you back at the bull pen." She stuffed her pad back in her bag and swung it over her shoulder.

Clark stood. "Wait!" he called out quickly, "Lois, I'll walk you back."

"No it's ok, you finish your lunch, I'll catch a cab myself." Lois waved him off and strode to the door.

Clark held out his hand as if to reach and grab her, stopping her from leaving but she was already too far away. He closed his eyes and sighed. "That's not how a gentleman ends a date, Lois," he mumbled as he dropped back into his seat. "A gentleman walks his date home."

Lois stopped and turned to look back at Clark. He was facing away from the door. She stared in shock at the back of his head. _Date! He thought this was a date?_ Her heart kicked into overdrive and, unsure what to do or think she stepped out and then began to sprint away as quickly as her high heels would allow.

* * *

><p>OK, so I received many interpretations of Clark's dream and they were all pretty spot on, but <em><strong>his <strong>_realisation ... what did you think to that? Please comment.

Anyway, for those of you interested I've neglected Pirate for too long so I'm attempting an update on that next.


	6. Chasing

So, sorry for the incredible delay with this story. Hopefully I'm back into it now.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6: Chasing<strong>

Lois forced herself to slow down once she reached the end of the block. The café was far enough away now. She turned to see if Clark had exited, hoping he wasn't on the sidewalk yet. She couldn't face him now.

_"That's not how a gentleman ends a date, Lois. A gentleman walks his date home."_

She'd heard the sentence, as she opened the door, through some unexpected combination of quiet patrons and café acoustics. Plus, although Clark had been facing away from the door, their table was practically outside. _I can't believe he thought it was a date. It was just lunch. We've been to lunch so many times before. And why? Why did he want a date when he stood me up at the last one? I must have misheard._

Calming her pounding heart she raised her arm to hail a cab. The Planet soon came into view and she climbed out of the yellow vehicle then descended into the Bull Pen. Her racing pulse had not lessened even though she'd spent time seated in the cab. That left her with the suspicion that it had not been the sudden sprint which caused it to race in the first place. Why did he have this effect on her? He was just a farm boy, nothing special. _Yeah, right_, returned another part of her consciousness. At her desk she grabbed her notes for her assignment. Sudden panic at the thought that Clark could walk in behind her any moment had her racing off to her story immediately.

Arriving at the hospital a little later to interview a hit and run survivor Lois sat in the car park trying to reconcile her conflicted feelings. Her feelings for Clark were … strong. She wanted … something … to happen with him so desperately. Yet she ran, she pushed him away, she hid away. And now, suddenly he seemed ready for … something. Lois attempted to get her erratic heart under control once again. _It's what I used to want. It really is. But Clark doesn't want to date me. We already tried that idea and he stood me up. I don't get it._ She leaned her head forward and rested on the wheel of her car. Her eyes closed and she took in deep breaths. As the usual visions began to coalesce in front of her eyelids she hoped they would bring distraction but instead the blurs set her stomach rolling; not a good combination with a fluttering heart. She opened her eyes and exhaled in frustration.

"Maybe it was just a shock. I mean, why else would I run away from something that I'd been hoping for … wanting … for months?" She shook her head. "Next time … " she felt her heart skip at the thought that there might be a 'next time', but she couldn't complete the sentence not knowing her heart fully at the moment. She pulled out her keys, stepped out of the car and then locked it.

Heading over the parking lot and into the main entrance of the hospital she shifted her mind into 'working mode'. "Okay, time to get the information for this filler article." Her voice tightened on the word 'filler' knowing she was destined for better.

* * *

><p>Clark left the café after finishing his sandwich. He stood on the sidewalk looking in the direction of The Planet. Just a short cab ride - or a long walk - away he knew that Lois would have headed straight back to work. He knew he was a little disappointed at his failure to make this lunch into a 'date'. Lois had left with hardly a word, convinced this was just another platonic lunch between colleagues. He put his hands in his pockets and began to walk back slowly.<p>

His mind continued to ponder over the revelations that his dreams had brought him. Lois was his equal. Oh, not physically. Not in terms of his 'extraordinary' abilities. But in her 'inner' strength, strength of character, strength of beliefs. And she had 'extraordinary' abilities of her own. But most of all, Clark knew that Lois was happy with herself, confident in herself. She wouldn't want to, or try to, change anything about herself for him. Basically, if he didn't accept her as she was … then he couldn't have her. Just as she would accept him as he was … if he could ever get them on a date and try to …

What?

What did he really want?

His behaviour over the past week had been quite contradictory. Someone observing from far off would have trouble interpreting his intentions. He sighed and looked up to the sky. Something drew him to Lois … day after day after day. Yet, he still shied away from her.

_What do you want, Clark?_ he asked himself.

Arriving at the Bull Pen he immediately knew that Lois was not around. There was a different feeling to the air when she was in the building. For everyone else that feeling would have been described as tense, but for Clark it was … excitement. She set his skin tingling and his muscles buzzing, aching to move, to touch, whenever she was near. In fact, just the memory of her, sitting across from him, set him tingling.

_I guess I just want to be in her life … in some way._ He gazed at her empty desk. _And if that is … closer than friends …_ He found himself grinning.

The shrill ring of the phone shocked him out of his daze. "Clark Kent," he answered as he lowered himself into his seat. He began rifling around his desk for a pen, presuming that he'd need to write something down, whether the story was a source, or a supervisor.

"Mr Kent. I've been asked to contact you. Miss Mercer would like to see you."

Clark groaned inwardly at the same time as his heart skipped a beat. The Daily Planet owner - by way of being CEO of LuthorCorp - was too close to his secret. She was suspicious of him, and also ignored his legitimate stories and worries. Only yesterday she'd shot him down about the serial killer he was positive was prowling the streets of Metropolis.

"She is at Metropolis General Hospital. Please come immediately," continued the direct voice.

"Met Gen Hospital?" Clark repeated back in shock, standing up from his chair again.

"Yes, she will explain once you arrive."

Clark placed the phone back down then looked around. No-one else seemed interested in the conversation he'd just had. He frowned in concern and then set off for the hospital.

* * *

><p><em>S<em>tepping out of the elevator and into the reception area on the way back to her car Lois caught a glimpse of a familiar profile at the end of the corridor. He was just disappearing into the stairwell. Unexpected nerves assailed her and she had to take a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down. If she'd decided to take the stairwell rather than the elevator … then there could have been an awkward meeting on the stairs. Although he wouldn't necessarily have known it was awkward. He had no idea she'd heard his comment at the café.

Pushing that thought from her mind she set off again. "What's Clark doing at the hospital," she muttered to herself as the main door swooshed open to let her through. "I was assigned to this story. He better not be after it." She rummaged around in her bag for her car keys as she strode across the car park. "Not that I'm particularly on fire for this story … but it is **my** story." She climbed into the car and set off back to work, already piecing together the lead in her head.

* * *

><p>Clark closed the door behind him. He looked over his shoulder, down at the hand still clutching the door handle. Still reeling from the download of information from Tess he had to consciously fight to keep his legs from collapsing under him. Davis was … a Kryptonian. Not only was he the serial killer that Clark had been chasing down, but he was … a brother.<p>

Snapping out of his reverie he shot off, heading for the Isis Foundation and Chloe. Seconds later he arrived, but found it abandoned. There were signs of a struggle and Clark began to feel panic overwhelm him. Chloe was his best friend from school, she was his confidant … she was too close to Davis …

"Chloe," he called out as he strode to the other end of the office. Her laptop was running, out on a desk. Clark immediately recognised the blueprints for Dr Grohl's LuthorCorp lab. A second later the Isis Foundation was empty once more.

* * *

><p>Lois slipped into her flannel pyjamas and shuffled into the bathroom. Her tired eyes stared back. She chastised herself for letting the farm-boy get to her so much. All day she'd been reliving those last words that she'd heard. All day she'd been considering her reply if he asked her out for lunch again. She shook her head and then squeezed toothpaste out onto her brush.<p>

_"That's not how a gentleman ends a date, Lois. A gentleman walks his date home."_

She began vigorously brushing her teeth.

_A date. Did he really mean it? And so if he asks me to lunch again, should I presume he means that to be a date? If he asks me again … will I say yes?_

"Yes," she answered herself emphatically, removing the toothbrush. "I will say yes." Her tired eyes reflected back, twinkling with threatened tears. After staring in blank thought for a few moments she shook her head again. "To bed, Lois. To bed."

As she climbed in-between the sheets she idly wondered who she was more likely to dream off: Clark, the man who was never far from her thoughts … and her heart, or the Red-Blue Blur, always hiding just behind her eyelids.

* * *

><p>Clark ran. He sped through the night, away from the pain, away from the disappointment, the horror, the fear. Somehow the world zipping by at super-speed helped him forget. He did an expert job of clearing his memory, until he finally came across Ollie and had to face up to the consequences of this afternoon. To say that Ollie was shocked would be an understatement, but he handled himself superbly.<p>

Clark couldn't bare to be involved in the - disposal. He gave all responsibility to Ollie saying he didn't even want to know where, … where he would buried. Then he left and returned to the peaceful blurs of the world passing by at super-speed.

* * *

><p>Lois woke the following morning with a sense of betrayal hanging over her. Last nights Red-Blue Blur dreams had been enlightening. She climbed out of bed and reached for her phone, flipping it open. Speed dial number four connected her to her prey.<p>

"Hey legs," came the opening greeting.

"Ollie," she growled out. "I'm surprised you're awake enough this early in the morning to answer."

"Oh nice. Sarcasm for breakfast. Just what I ordered."

"So, when were you gonna tell me that you know the Red-Blue Blur?" Lois waited through the shocked silence. Last night's blurry saves running though her memory had a clear break in the middle when she'd seen the Green Arrow. A serious conversation had been held between the two heroes of Metropolis; lengthy enough for Lois to realise that this was no coincidental meeting between the two.

"Uh Lois," Ollie finally begun. "It's not …"

"Don't you dare try to get out of this."

"How did you know?" he asked but Lois suspected he was actually asking a slightly different question. One just out of reach for her to understand.

"I never reveal my sources, you should know that. But I can tell you that I have proof positive you spent much of last night deep in conversation with him." Lois heard the resigned sigh through the telephone connection. She stood and began to wander through to the kitchen area.

"Well, what did you expect, Lois? We both hang out in the dark looking to rescue people in trouble ... stop crime. We were bound to come across each other."

"Are you trying to tell me that the intense discussion last night was a 'getting to know you' ?" her voice revealed how little she actually believed that.

"No. Last night wasn't the first time we met," was the resigned reply.

"Well okay. Now that we are at the truth can you set me up with him?"

"What?" came a choked cough from the other end.

"An interview. What did you think I meant, Ollie?" she retorted.

"Oh. Uh, no. He doesn't do interviews."

"Please, Ollie. You can tell him that I can be trusted; persuade him."

Ollie laughed. "If you knew … then you wouldn't be asking me this. You'd be asking me a completely different question … either that or running me through. Anyway, my answer is still no."

"So what did you talk about? What _do_ you talk about when you do your … 'saving the world' act?"

"You mean your source didn't tell you that?" Ollie's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Lois just breathed heavily down the phone, trying to get across her anger, her impatience.

"Lois, you know I'm not gonna tell you what we talked about. Hero-hero confidentially and all that."

"Ollie …" she threatened.

"Not gonna happen, legs. You knowing about my secret life does not entitle you to automatic entry into my secret society."

"You have a secret society?" Lois laughed, partly wondering if he was actually being serious behind that light-hearted play-boy voice.

Hanging up Lois made herself a coffee and leaned against the kitchen counter whist sipping. _He rescued Clark that night, I'm sure off it. I even saw the Planet, followed by the Kent Farm. I have the answer to my question - my wish. _

_'I really wish I knew where Clark was'_

_So why am I still seeing through the Red-Blue Blur's eyes? Maybe I need him to admit it otherwise I'll never actually know for certain … one hundred percent. But Smallville isn't going to admit it. I've already given him the chance. So I need to get the Red-Blue Blur to admit it instead._

She resolved to re-double her efforts to find this 'super' man and use every resource available to her even if it meant spending most of the day with her eyes closed … which wasn't possible now, as she had to get to work.

* * *

><p>Clark left the Isis Foundation and Chloe and headed for work. He was upset to find that she had spent the night there rather than returning to her apartment. He showed his concern by getting a little angry with her but she pointed out that he had done exactly the same thing. To wipe out the agonising memories of what they'd both done - seen - yesterday, he'd patrolled more fiercely than ever before last night. His discussion with Ollie about what to do with the … body, where to bury … Davis ... had been his only concession to even acknowledging what had occurred soon after his revealing conversation with Tess in the hospital.<p>

Arriving at The Planet his heart skipped in anticipation. _Is she already here? _ His grief over his inability to help his fellow Kryptonian lessened at the thought of seeing Lois. Since his decision to actively attempt to pursue her in a romantic way it was as if he were desperate to spend every moment with her. Resolved to ask her on another date today he entered the Bull Pen. She was sat at her desk typing away. At her elbow was a copy of The Daily Planet. His mood lightened even further. Somehow last night seemed to fade away.

"Morning Lois," he spoke as he approached.

"Morning, Smallville," she replied without looking up.

Clark sat himself down and dived right in. "So are you free for lunch again?" he asked.

"Off to interview the mayor in a few. Don't know if I'll be back." She spoke off-hand, as if a little preoccupied.

"Oh, well if you are ... I'd like to take you to the deli."

She finally looked up at him, curiosity and confusion on her face. "All right," she replied. They both returned to working in slightly awkward silence afterward. When Lois stood to leave Clark stood also.

"See you later."

"Yeah," she mumbled.

"In time for lunch … I hope," he smiled.

"Me too," she mumbled again as she headed for the stairs.

As Clark watched her leave his phone began to vibrate. Extracting it from his pocket he brought it up to his ear. "What is it?"

"Thought you might like to know that Lois is on to you."

"What?" Clark narrowed his eyes, turned away from viewing the stairs, lowered his voice and sat back down.

"I had a call from her this morning. She knows that the Red-Blue Blur knows Green Arrow. Don't ask me how she knows … she just knows. I did wonder, to start with, if you'd actually made the leap and told her, but I think the phone call would have gone a little differently then. Well, actually a lot differently."

"Ollie, what did she say? What did _you_ say?"

"Somehow she knows that we had a heart to heart last night."

"Last night!" Clark's eyes widened. "Davis! But what if … "

"Calm down boy scout. She didn't know _what_ the conversation was about, just that we'd crossed paths." Ollie paused then continued in a contrite manner. "Plus she managed to wheedle out of me that we ... uh, weren't exactly new acquaintances."

Clark groaned.

"Then, she asked me to set you two up."

"What? She wants …"

"A date? No, an interview. Although … you and her … could be interesting," Ollie teased.

"Don't be ridiculous," Clark replied although he felt the hope rising in his stomach proving the statement to be a lie.

"You know she's never gonna give this up. You may as well just tell her. Save her all the time, trouble and hassle, and save you the flaying when she eventually finds out anyway."

"I can't Ollie. People who know … it changes their life." Clark sighed, but again felt the sting of self deception. It was his standard reply. But now, after the time spent in that world where everyone knew… Lois dealt with his secret better than anyone ever before. She was in no more danger than before. She treated him no differently than before. Was he deceiving himself? Using that as an excuse. Because he suddenly knew that he could. He could tell her … but was just afraid.

* * *

><p>Comments please. I know it's been ages, but I do mean to finish this. Chapter 7 is called Hero. Hopefully it will be here soon!<p> 


	7. Date

I know I promised that I was back into the swing of this story ... and then there was a massive gap again. I apologise, but life has not dealt me a good hand at the moment. I will continue on with this story, and it will be finished, even if there are further delays.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: Date<strong>

Returning to the Bull Pen at 12:45 Lois wondered if Clark had already gone for his lunch. _Am I too late? Do I want it to be too late? I promised myself I'd say yes, and I did, but ..._ The conflicted thoughts and feeling of her heart and mind were frustrating her.

"Lois," came a breathless shout of joy from behind her. She turned to see Clark coming along the corridor from the archives. "Ready for lunch?" he grinned widely.

"Yes," she returned and finally realised that she meant it.

As Clark walked her to the deli she was under no illusions this time. It was a date. Finally she and Clark were on a date. Butterflies shivered in her stomach and she faltered in her step. Clark's arm came round to steady her. Somehow she fit right under the crook of his elbow. Once straight he let go. She felt cold and disappointed. It was only moments later that they arrived at the deli. Clark held out a chair for her and she slid in. The warm sun made it the perfect weather for sitting out. Clark disappeared inside to order for them and Lois relaxed into her chair. Her eyes drifted closed and the swirls started. She immediately opened her eyes and sat back up again. _I've not thought about this since breakfast. Even though I resolved to find the Red-Blue Blur using every means I haven't allowed my eyes to stay closed for long enough._

She blinked a few times.

_But now is not the time. I'm on a date with Clark._ She smiled to herself at the thought and took a deep breath. _Okay, Lois. Play it cool. Be nice. No awkwardness ruining this. That means avoiding the subject of Lana, weddings, kisses, the Red-Blue Blur, dates - broken or otherwise, and a hundred other things that could turn this pleasant Sunday drive into a car wreck._

Clark slid past her and into the seat opposite having returned from the counter. She looked up into his eyes and watched as he lowered himself. "Should be about five minutes."

"Okay," Lois replied with a smile and they settles into silence. When it became too uncomfortable for Lois she engaged her mouth, but without checking first with her brain. "So … what happened with you and Lana?" _Stupid. Stupid. What did you just get through telling yourself, Lane?_ screamed the voice in her head at the uncontrollable train wreck that was her mouth.

Clark looked up from playing with his napkin, his blue eyes peering through his lashes. "Uh," was his simple reply.

"Ohh! Okay." Lois felt her heart drop.

"No, no, Lois." Clark leaned forward earnestly.

"I get it, Smallville." She nodded, fake smile complete on her face. "You and her have been at this for years. I mean when you first met me it was what, try number three?"

Clark dropped his gaze momentarily and gave the slightest of nervous shrugs.

"So … is this the one?" Lois watched her finger as she trailed it around the table top.

Clark looked across the table to the woman looking so insecure and he couldn't help the dreamy smile which came over his face. _Yeah, this is the one_, resounded in his mind. He saw the moment Lois' face dropped. She looked away. Clark noticed the waitress approaching and cleared his paper napkin out of the way, making room for their food.

Lois leaned back to give the black and white uniformed lady room to set down the plates. Reaching for her fork she began to pick at her salad. "So... you must have finally gotten past whatever kept splitting you up then. Well I'm happy for you. You deserve to have love and companionship." Lois' mouth gabbled away and then Clark watched as she lifted her first forkful.

"Wait, Lois…" Clark frowned and leaned forwards a inch. "Lana and I … we're not together." He shook his head. "Why would you think that? I'm on a date with YOU!"

"Well, the wedding and the almost …" She lifted a hand and waved it in the air between the two of them. "... and she interrupted." She stopped and peered at him. "You're not?" It was her turn to frown. Surprise and confusion were clearly displayed on her face. "Why? Didn't she want to? Has she found someone else?"

Clark let out a breath, almost a slight chuckle. He took a bite of his sandwich and chewed. After swallowing he then paused before answering Lois' question. "No, she wanted to. She wanted to soo much that she … uh made some changes to herself in the hopes that, uh ..."

"You could be together," Lois finished his thought. He nodded and looked away. "So this change...it was to do with whatever kept tearing you apart in the past?" He nodded again. "So …" she took a deep breath and asked the question that could change everything. "Why **aren't** you together?"

He looked up. Settling himself back he resolved to be as truthful as was possible. "I … I didn't want her to make the changes. I liked her the way she was and I guess I felt obliged to give it that final 'go' because she'd gone to all that trouble. Gone through all that pain. From her point of view she done it all 'for me' too." He smirked, mostly at himself. "And I guess I thought I still loved her. I probably always will, in some wistful way … but it didn't work."

"Oh?" Lois tilted her head to one side showing her interest.

"Something … happened which means we can't be together. It's kind of an impossibility." Clark watched as Lois' eyes crinkled in even more confusion.

"So this is a forced breakup. Beyond your control?"

"Yes … no … I don't think it would have lasted much longer anyway." He shook his head and turned away. "She wasn't the same person anymore, and not just because of the physical changes she'd made. Even without them … she'd changed." He looked back. "And so had I. But you see, I still wanted to be friends. I was happy with 'just friends'. And it didn't feel wrong, there was no pain at the thought of being 'just friends'. For Lana though, it was all or nothing. And because of this - circumstance - that's happened … 'all' is not possible, so that left…"

"Nothing." Clark heard the shudder in Lois' voice, almost as if she were trying to hide something, some emotion.

"She left. And I found that it didn't hurt as much as any of the previous times. I found myself feeling a little … relieved." As the words left his mouth he felt the last remnants of confusion, tension and hurt leave. Clark and Lana were no more, and he was fine with that.

"Then why …" Lois whispered.

"Why …?" he leaned forwards once more, resting his elbows on the deli table.

"The coffee house …" She looked away and nibbled her lower lip, capturing it between her teeth.

His heart began an erratic drumming as he cast his mind back. Forcibly returning to his casual position in the chair, hoping it would help, he took a few breaths. He recalled standing across the road from Lois, seeing her ready for their 'talk'. The talk that he now knew was Lois' word for 'date'. He used the excuse of biting into his sandwich again to gain more time to understand his own thoughts before trying to explain them. "I was … afraid. Something else … something - strange - happened after she left and when you came back. Something which made me unsure of … uh. This is not really easy to explain. Let's just say that I needed time to work through some stuff in my head."

"And now?"

"Now. I know what I want." He captured her gaze and didn't let it move.

"So, uh," Lois gulped nervously. "This really is a date then?"

Clark's heart skipped a beat. "Um, you caught that then. I thought you'd missed it." He smiled shyly. "Is … is that okay?"

"I guess so," came her casual reply. Clark felt a little disappointed at her lack of enthusiasm until his hearing picked up the rapid beating of her heart.

The conversation seemed to naturally end. Clark dare not continue the tentative subject of them being on a date, or risk having to talk more about Lana, especially about the subsequent apocalyptic days which he then went and re-wrote. He finished off his coffee while Lois pushed the last of her side salad around the plate.

Clark eventually broke the silence. "Something bothering you?" he asked and Lois looked up, emerging from her reverie.

"Oh no. Just thinking about something."

"What?" he smiled expressing real interest.

"Um …" he watched as indecision crossed her face. "I should probably get going. Write up my notes on the Mayor interview. Got a busy night tonight, you see."

"Oh." When he saw Lois glance away and return to playing with her salad he began to suspect that she hadn't told him the truth. Well, actually she had - she probably did need to write up her notes, and probably did have a busy night. But neither of those things had been what she was thinking about at the time. Not wanting to push her in this delicate part of their relationship he agreed. "You're probably right. I've got some notes that I need to deal with too." Clark stood and took his coat off the back of his chair. Lois was lost in thought again. "Lois?" he called gently.

"Yes, Clark?" she replied absentmindedly.

"Bull Pen," he indicated.

"Oh, yeah," she said, suddenly brightening again.

* * *

><p>Lois tried hard to resist the impulse to sneak a look over the top of her monitor. <em>We had a date. An official date. We both acknowledged it out loud. What's gonna happen now?<em> Lois glanced up again to see him rifling through a pile of papers. She looked away as quickly as possible, keeping her glances as minimal as she could. If she lingered too long she was bound to be caught by him, or caught up in her own daydream of how the date might have ended had it been an evening date rather than a lunch date. As it was she, instead, found herself lingering over her decision not to tell him what had really been going through her mind at lunch.

Although she'd initially been daydreaming about Clark, and how he might try to end the date, her mind had drifted into distant, but slightly related territory, after the conversation had dried up. Her earlier decision to do everything in her power to find the Red-Blue Blur had begun to play on her thoughts. She needed to fulfil her wish so that it would go away and that meant confirming where Clark was the night of Chloe's birthday party. If Clark wouldn't admit it then she needed to get Metropolis' guardian angel to do so instead.

She sighed. When Clark had asked what was bothering her she'd been contemplating putting herself in danger to get the Red-Blue Blur to save her. If she'd told Clark that … he'd have had a fit at her.

Her final conclusion, though, had been that it was too dangerous. Plenty of bad things still happened even when the Red-Blue Blur was clearly out saving people. He couldn't be in more than one place at a time. So, she would revert to her original plan of keeping her eyes closed as often as possible … once today was over. Today - and tonight - with the 'do' at the press society - was far too busy.

* * *

><p>Clark slid his tie out from round his neck and then tossed it onto the bed. Opening his wardrobe door he looked over his clothes while undoing his shirt buttons. His eyes stopped on his smart black suit.<p>

Clark's hands stilled a few buttons from the end. He just stared.

It was, most definitely, a 'date' suit.

His mind returned to this lunchtime and his lunch 'date' with Lois. To say that they'd both acknowledged, out loud, that it was a date, they hadn't really acted like it. The topic of conversation had been an ex-girlfriend! Not what you'd usually talk about on a first date with a new lady. And the end of the date had been so totally un-date like ...

_I'm going to ask her out for an evening date tomorrow. I will._ He reached out and pulled out the hanger. He couldn't help the smile which came to his face. Hanging it over the open wardrobe door he turned away, but continued to smile.

A sudden burst of superspeed and he was clad in red and blue. Time for an evening of patrolling in Metropolis. Time to use up the energy which ran through his every muscle at the thought of a 'romantic' style date with Lois. Patrolling was easy at the moment. Since taking on this responsibility he had realised that it **was** his destiny, as his Kryptonian father had always said. But that wasn't a **bad** thing, as he'd always though. It was good. It was right. Patrolling felt right. Most especially in the last few weeks. It had felt as if someone were there, with him, supporting him. A special presence. _Almost like … _

But that couldn't be possible, so he dismissed it, shaking his head

He glanced at the black suit again and his heart pounded at the thought of how he could end an evening date. He'd kissed Lois before - dressed as the fake Green Arrow, and under the influence of red kryptonite - but the thought of a real kiss with her … a kiss that had meaning to it … a kiss with feelings behind it …

He gasped with a sudden shortness of breath.

He wanted that kiss with Lois. Desperately.

He allowed his mind to indulge in the thought, closing his eyes momentarily. He'd see her to the door of the apartment. She'd ask him in for a coffee, but he'd decline, as a gentleman should, but then he'd slide an arm around her waist and draw her close...

His heart raced away and he opened his eyes. Smiling at the 'date' suit one last time he then blurred out of the house in the direction of Metropolis.

* * *

><p>Lois rummaged through her wardrobe. Flinging a red, slinky dress out and over her shoulder when it tangled on her arm she continued to push through the mess. Her hand scraped past something and she jerked it out to find a little bit of skin gone and a red patch in its place. She frowned and dived back in to see what it was. Feeling around carefully she eventually came across something with a pointed edge. She grasped and pulled.<p>

"Well, well. Look at you," she muttered looking at a knee high, black boot, with four inch stiletto heels. "You'll do perfectly." She began to search for the other boot. When it finally revealed itself she then set about looking for suitable clothes.

Twenty minutes later she was dressed all in black, hair suitable styled and makeup tastefully applied. She admired her ensemble in the mirror and then closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. The press club 'do' was going to be a big thing. It could open up so many door for her.

Blurs swirled around her eyelids. They momentarily cleared into a view of Metropolis's skyline. She swayed when she realised that the she was looking down from the roof of a tall skyscraper. The blurs returned and she opened her eyes to keep from falling over. Her internal balance was completely unused to these sensations.

Again she remembered her resolve to find the Red-Blue Blue from earlier. She was determined to spend a long amount of time with her eyes closed … and not just at night time, when she had no way of showing up at his rescues … being asleep.

Tomorrow was a free day. No interviews, no press club 'do', nothing. Tomorrow she would find the Red-Blue Blur.

* * *

><p>"Ugh. Hold on. These heels are silent killers," Lois called out.<p>

Chloe continued on. Her car was only round the corner, parked illegally, and Lois would catch up soon enough. And she needed to get back to Davis as quickly as possible. As she turned the corner she was grabbed from the side, her bag being pulled away from her arm. She looked up to see a second man peering into her car. She began to struggle.

"Give it me."

"Hey. No! Let me go," she retorted, continuing to struggle and pull back on her shoulder bag. She kicked out with a leg and the guy grunted. "Lois!" she called.

"Just give me the keys," came the growled reply.

Chloe pulled again. "Ugh! Ohh!" The man pulled back with a free hand and struck her across the face. She stumbled into the car behind, pushed back and attempted to free her bag from his grip once more. A second strike, this time a backhand across her face, and she collapsed against the car then fell to the floor, releasing her hold on her bag.

Lois arrived on scene at that point and aimed for the back of the carjackers knee. He let out a scream and half turned. Lois punched him directly in the face. He fell to the floor but Lois was immediately caught in the grip of the other man. His arms came around her but she struggled and eventually got enough leverage to fling back her head and knock him back. He let go and she swivelled to face him.

A punch to the face and a kick to the stomach and he was down on the floor.

Lois turned to see Chloe's car racing away in reverse. Thug number one had taken Chloe's bag and found her keys. She turned back to the man kneeling on the ground. "This one's for your friend." She kneed him directly in the face and he collapsed backward, ending up flat on the floor.

Lois raised her boot and held her heel to the man's chest. "Ohh, g…" he moaned. Opening his eyes he looked up into the bright, glaring light. "Who the hell are you, some sort of superhero?

"You bet I am," Lois replied. "Call me Stiletto."

* * *

><p>So. Comments? Lois used Stiletto to try and find the RBB in the show. This time she's got even more reasons, and even more ways to find the RBB. Will she?<p> 


End file.
